Fuel protests along motorways across Ireland have caused traffic disruption after the government delivered half a billion euros worth of measures on fuel.
Although blockades at fuel depots and Ireland’s only oil refinery have been lifted, smaller protests continued on motorways around Dublin.
A Facebook page where information about the protests had been shared posted information on Sunday night, both suggesting the protests should continue on Monday and that “all protestors and Gardai go home”.
Slow-moving convoys of large vehicles on Monday morning caused delays on motorways including the M50 southbound, the M1 southbound in Co Louth and the M9 at Athy, Co Kildare.
A spokesman for the Dublin fuel protest said the protesters “achieved something small” in 505 million euros worth of government measures announced on Sunday, but that he has “no control” over further protests.
Protesters – largely led by hauliers, farmers, and agricultural workers – began distinct but co-ordinated action on Tuesday with slow-moving convoys and outright stoppages on major motorways, as well as blockades of critical infrastructure which had largely wound down or been disbanded by police by midday on Sunday.
A package was announced on Sunday evening for fuel-dependent workers affected by rising fuel costs triggered by the US and Israeli war in Iran and the effective shutdown by Iran of the Strait of Hormuz.
It was worth around 505 million euros, and comes on top of 250 million euros worth of measures announced almost three weeks ago.
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary said the protesters had not won as engagement had been ongoing with farming and transport representative groups on further support before the protests began on Tuesday.
He told Raidio na Gaeltachta that the two packages announced by the Irish government were among the largest in Europe, and that the measures would have an influence on the government’s budget in October.
The seventh day of disruption on Monday comes as the government faces a motion of no confidence in the Irish parliament on Tuesday.
The main opposition party Sinn Fein is to table the motion criticising the government for not reconvening the Dail last week and not engaging directly with the protesters, while also calling on the government to take the “maximum action necessary” to cut fuel prices.
Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty criticised the government for “laughable” measures announced on Sunday, the government’s second response to fuel price rises caused by the US and Israeli war in Iran.
“Again, they come up short, and that’s why so many people are annoyed this morning,” Mr Doherty said on Monday.
“Nobody wanted to be out there. The government forced people to take the street.
“Indeed, the government made matters worse. They went from insulting people, to demeaning them, to threaten them with the army, to refuse to talk to people and try and resolve this.”
He added: “For many people, yes, it was about fuel.
“Yes, it was about petrol, diesel, home heating oil, but it was also about all of the other pressures that people are feeling – whether it’s energy costs, whether it’s groceries, whether it’s rents that continue to go up, and basically a tipping point that the government aren’t listening, that we needed something to happen in terms of (a) cost (of) living package.”
A spokesman for the protesters said they had no control over the more regional demonstrations.
“Nobody knows what the plan is, that’s being straight out there,” said John Dallon, a Kildare farmer and agriculture contractor who was at the Dublin protest.
He said he welcomed the measures on green diesel, but the government “should have done something” on kerosene.
“This protest is out of my hands, it escalated to somewhat so big, and I don’t know where it’s going to end, but it’s the government’s fault,” he told Newstalk radio on Monday.
“We achieved something small, but this is something way bigger now, and I have no control over it, and that’s exactly where I’m coming from.
“It’s gone to the stage that it seems like, looking out there, that the people of the island of Ireland have no confidence in this government anymore.”
