No need to panic buy fuel
9pm: Ireland’s supply chains will take a number of days to return to normal, the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) has said.
Protests over the rising cost of fuel started last Tuesday, resulting in blockaded ports, slow-moving convoys on motorways and Dublin city centre being brought to a standstill.
Fuel costs have soared globally since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Blockades of ports and the Whitegate oil refinery ended over the weekend but protest convoys on motorways caused further disruption on Monday.
The NECG, which brings together Government departments and state agencies to respond to emergencies in Ireland, met on Monday.
The NECG said “significant work is underway to process the accumulated cargo” at ports and fuel was “moving well” from sites that had been blocked.
But they said it would take “several days” for operations and distribution to return to normal.
“It remains important for members of the public to only buy the fuel they need as local stocks are replenished,” they added.
Similarly, they said agri-food supply chains will return to normal operation “in the coming days” after the agriculture, food, fisheries, and forestry sectors “experienced significant difficulties” during the protests.
According to the statement, the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, has extended temporary changes to driving hours and rest periods to aid deliveries.
Minister for Justice 'thrown under the bus'
6.55pm: Tensions are growing in Government amid suggestions that Fine Gael, and defence minister Helen McEntee in particular, threw justice minister Jim O’Callaghan “under the bus”.
A Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting was held in Leinster House today to discuss public outcry over rising fuel costs and the response to protests around the country.
However, some in Fianna Fáil believe Fine Gael is trying to blame Mr O’Callaghan for stoking public anger by involving the defence forces, following media reports that Ms McEntee was unhappy that Mr O’Callaghan had failed to consult her beforehand.
Mr O’Callaghan told the Fianna Fáil meeting that there were discussions at a "senior level" on Wednesday about using the defence forces, referring to a meeting he held with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris.
It is also understood that Mr O’Callaghan called Ms McEntee on Thursday morning in advance of Gardaí officially seeking assistance from the Defence Forces.
Speaking on RTÉ, Ms McEntee appeared to confirm that she was only told once the official request was submitted.
Heneghan unsure how to vote
4.10pm: Independent TD Barry Heneghan has told the Irish Examiner that he has not decided to vote in tomorrow's confidence vote.
He said: "I am carefully considering my position with my team ahead of tomorrow’s vote. My focus is and always has been delivering real outcomes for my constituents and making changes to our energy system.
"A key priority for me right now is progressing my legislation on private wires, which would reduce wasted renewable energy and strengthen Ireland’s energy system. That work depends on a functioning government.
"I’ll make my final decision based on what best supports stability and delivery for the people of Ireland."
Elsewhere, there is an almighty row brewing in Leinster House amid suggestions that Leaders' Questions will be scrapped on Tuesday to facilitate the Government's confidence motion.
It was expected that it would be held around 4pm, but sources suggested that it will take place at 2pm instead.
One opposition TD said that this would be "brazen" and lead to an "almighty row".
Healy-Rae and Toole decline to say if they will back Government
3.20pm: Two Government supporting Independent TDs have declined to set out whether they will vote confidence in the Government on Tuesday.
Danny Healy-Rae and Gillian Toole have not said if they will back the Government in the confidence vote, which has arisen due to the fuel protests which sprung up around the country last week.
Speaking on Radio Kerry earlier today, Mr Healy-Rae repeatedly criticised Taoiseach Micheál Martin as being “arrogant”, while calling for a change of leadership at the top of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Asked if he would back the Government on Tuesday, Mr Healy-Rae said he would first engage with his supporters before coming to a decision.
His brother, Michael Healy-Rae, is a junior minister in the Coalition, after pledging the support of the two Kerry TDs when the Government was formed last year.
One minister said Mr Healy-Rae was “throwing the rattle out of the pram” with his comments.
Meanwhile, Ms Toole said she is “weighing up everything” before she makes a decision on her vote, and will be considering matters “locally, nationally and internationally”.
Confidence vote in government ‘big test’ for independents – People Before Profit
2.30pm: The vote of no confidence to be tabled against the government is a “big test” for independents who are part of the coalition, a TD has said.
Sinn Féin are tabling the motion of no confidence in the Government on Tuesday.
It criticises 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.
The Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, and Independent Ireland have said they would back the motion.
It is unclear how several independents who have supported the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition government will vote.
The Green Party said it would also vote no confidence, but because the government had “failed to protect Irish people’s ability to go about their lives for five days” and for the delay to carbon tax increases.
Media minister wants examination of fuel protests coverage
2.20pm: The Government could ask the media regulator to examine coverage of fuel protests, the media minister has suggested.
Speaking to both Limerick Live 95 and WLRFM, Patrick O'Donovan suggested that coverage of the protests had not been balanced and that Coimisiún na Meán could be asked to weigh in.
“We didn’t hear the views of a lot of people last week,” he said.
“There were people who supported protest but were totally opposed to blockades, and their voices weren’t heard.
"I think there is a legitimate reason now for Coimisiún na Meán to have an examination of that as well. I will be meeting them and I will be asking them to see what it is that they can do and report back," he said on Damien Tiernan's show on WLR FM.
Mr O'Donovan said that he did not believe that panel shows were adequately balanced and this needed to be examined as well as how often "certain people" were platformed.
“I think everybody should take a look at how this was covered,” he said.
“From the public sector to the private sector, it’s no harm to ask if things could have been done better or more fairly.”
Mr O'Donovan denied, however, that he was interfering in a free media.
"Democracy is very fragile and I am as strong a proponent of the concept of organised protest as anybody, as a Constitutional Irish republican," he said.
"Malign actors though using protests for other reasons to plant sinister seeds and to whip people up into frenzy is something all of us should be very of, particularly given the politics of the world we live in at the moment."
Motorways now clear of protests
1.45pm: Transport Infrastructure Ireland has said that all motorways across country are now clear of protests.
A number of rolling protests slowed traffic during rush hour this morning, particularly around Dublin, however all of these have no cleared.
Protest activity caused significant disruption on key Cork routes on Monday morning, with traffic delays reported on the N28, particularly around the Shannon Park roundabout.
The junction is a critical access point for the Port of Cork and a number of major pharmaceutical companies, leading to knock-on delays for commuters and commercial traffic.
However, by 10am, protesters had lifted blockades around Cork city, allowing traffic to resume somewhat normally.
A strong garda presence remained in place at several key locations, including the Lakeview roundabout on the N25, as authorities continued to manage the situation.
Separately, the N25 was temporarily closed around lunchtime to allow the movement of seven oil tankers under garda escort.
The convoy was facilitating the transportation of fuel from the Whitegate refinery, as efforts continue to maintain supply chains amid ongoing disruption.
Measures to ensure the flow of fuel remain ongoing, although some restrictions have been reported by Fuels for Ireland.
The temporary blockade on the N25 formed part of wider efforts to manage fuel distribution across the region during the protests.
Kelly ‘appalled’ by intimidation of gardaí
12.50pm: The garda commissioner has expressed concerns about attempts made “in person and online to threaten and intimidate Gardaí who are engaged in their lawful work.”
In an email sent on Monday, Justin Kelly said he was “absolutely appalled” by the attempts amid policing operations carried out by gardaí over the fuel protests.
"This will not be tolerated and will be fully investigated with the aim of bringing those involved to justice," he said.
The garda commissioner also thanked garda personnel for the “personal sacrifices” they have made while policing the fuel protests last week.
He also thanked members for their “great professionalism and dedication.”
"I completely understand the really difficult situations many of you have been faced with," he said.
"Thanks to your efforts we have broken the illegal blockades which were interfering with access to our critical national infrastructure.
"This has meant that our emergency services, hospital and fuel supply network were able to continue to operate.," Commissioner Kelly added.
"I also want to thank you for responding to our calls for additional personnel needed to deal with this situation. Again, I appreciate many of you made personal sacrifices to answer this call to duty," he added.
Soup kitchen volunteers intimidated during protest
12.20pm: Volunteers of a soup kitchen say they were intimidated in Dublin at the weekend’s fuel protest.
The Muslim Sisters of Éire host a weekly soup run on O'Connell Street, to provide food and hot meals to people experiencing homelessness.
The charity says last week's run "took a deeply upsetting turn" when they experienced verbal abuse from a group of people protesting outside the GPO.
Chairperson Lorraine O’Connor says the situation turned hostile when she asked the man to leave because there were vulnerable people around and he told her to "get the hell out of this country".
Ms O'Connor, from Coolock in Dublin, was told "you don't belong in the country with this rag on your head".
She thanked the homeless community for stepping up to protect them.
'We are reacting in real time' — Heydon
11.45am: Agriculture minister Martin Heydon acknowledged there was “frustration out there” and that people had been driven to protest due to “a really significant shock to their energy bills”.
Mr Heydon said that a narrative had formed on social media that the government “don’t understand” and were “not listening”, but he said they were “reacting in real-time” to the war in the Middle East.
“I would very much counter that, we are reacting in real-time, but as a government, we absolutely listen and have to respond when an awful lot of people protest – protests and blockades are two different things,” he told RTÉ Radio.
“I absolutely, fundamentally respect and will passionately fight for people’s right to protest and tell me they disagree with me, but when people block critical infrastructure, that is different.”
Mr Heydon said that along with the 7.2c cut on excise on green diesel, he had secured a new €100m subsidy scheme for high fuel users which would see a further cut of 20c a litre.
“Government has put €100m behind us, the same way they put €140m behind the package for the hauliers, at the same time as helping every citizen of the state who drives a car or who relies on the cost of white diesel,” he said.
“We now see further reductions, cumulatively now: 32c per litre is the reduction on diesel; 27c a litre is the reduction on petrol, as well as the clearing of the remaining excise on green diesel and the subsidy on top of that.”
Mr Heydon agreed, saying: “We have to be very honest with people, that an intervention of three-quarters-of-a-billion euro is not without its consequences in terms of future decisions.
“But the implications of not making interventions now, in terms of that impact on the cost of living for everybody, the impact on inflation for the general country, would also have implications.”
Protesters have not won — Calleary
11.35am: Dara Calleary, the social protection minister, 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.
10 days before supplies return to normal
11.30am: Kevin McPartlan, chief executive of Fuels For Ireland, said fuel trucks are moving around the country following the lifting of blockades over the weekend but he warned that it could take 10 days before supplies return to normal levels.
He called for secure access to supplies for his members following days of what he said ere “intimidation and threats and insults to drivers”.
Mr McPartlan said drivers had been identified and intimidated by protesters, and family members had been contacted “when they’re sitting waiting to load. It’s really poor. I’m not suggesting that everybody involved in protests is involved in that stuff but there are [some] still doing that.”
He told Morning Ireland that the next key thing “is to make sure that the road network across the country is unhindered so we can actually get fuel to the people who need it.”
He said that in the long term “what has happened over the last few days has kind of created a precedent that people could see these as targets for the future so I think they’re going to need to be conversations around the security of those sites and the way the State manages that that security.”
Keep hard shoulders clear for emergencies
11am: Sean O’Neill of Transport Infrastructure Ireland has urged motorway protestors to keep hard shoulders clear for emergency vehicles and highlighted how the rolling protests across the Irish road network are fluid and evolving.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio he said that “on the M1 southbound, there is congestion between junction 12 and junction 9, so that’s earlier at Drogheda, and that’s a go slow, there are people protesting there".
“And then on the M3 we have a full closure now, which wasn’t fully closed earlier today, and that is between Kells junction 11 southbound and junction N9 in Navan is fully closed in both directions."
He said there was “a go-slow movement” on the M7 leading onto the Long Mile Road this morning, but it was cleared, although not before it caused “significant congestion”.
He added that there was also a go-slow on the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy, “Anyone listening and people out on the network, we do ask that they keep the hard shoulder open. It’s for emergency vehicles and emergency trips.
"Whatever your actions are on the motorway network, please keep those open, because it’s just unacceptable. People need those it’s for emergency needs.”
Protesters told to keep driving or have tractors seized
10.30am: Fuel protesters in the Carrigaline-Ringaskiddy convoy were informed that tractors would be seized if they stopped or blocked roads.
Before protests began this morning, the Carrigaline-Ringaskiddy convoy was approached by Gardaí who informed them that they were under orders to seize any tractors or vehicles that stop or block the Shannonpark roundabout or the N28 (Ringaskiddy road).
“I thought I was dreaming, but actually it was a nightmare I had,” Finbarr O’Mahony, a contractor who has been protesting for the last seven days, told the Irish Examiner.
“There isn’t much point in giving the hauliers 10 cents, including Vat and giving us 2.4 cents, including Vat, because the price of diesel has gone up about 25 cents a litre since we started this protest last week. Diesel was up to 170 last week. So what is the point?”
He went on to say that the price of diesel “needs a cap” for a period of time, like the three-month caps applied in other European countries.
Gardaí remain present around O'Connell Street on Monday morning as the road reopens for cars and public transport.
It comes after fuel protests saw over a hundred vehicles block one of Dublin's busiest streets for almost six days.
The tractors, lorries and trucks were removed in the early hours of Sunday morning by the Garda Public Order Unit.
Government to face a motion of no confidence on Tuesday
10.10am: The seventh day of disruption on Monday comes as the Government faces a motion of no confidence in the Dáil on Tuesday.
Sinn Féin 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.
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.”
Protests 'achieve something small'
9.30am: A spokesman for the Dublin fuel protest has said that they “achieved something small” in €505m worth of government measures, but said he has “no control” over further protests.
Blockades at fuel depots and Ireland’s only oil refinery have been lifted, but traffic disruption continued in parts of the country on Monday due to some protests.
“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 that he welcomed the reduction in 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.”
Road blockages continue on Monday morning
7.55am: 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.
In Cork, the N28 Ringaskiddy Road westbound is busy between Shanbally Cross and a protest near Rafeen Bridge.
In Meath, there is a full road closure on the M3/N3 between Junction 11, Kells, and Junction 9, Navan, southbound.
Significant delays are likely, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is advising drivers to use alternative routes.
In Cavan, the N3 southbound is heavily congested behind a convoy on the Kells side of Virginia.
In Kildare, the M9 northbound is busy at Junction 3, Athy, where protesters have gathered.
In Louth, convoys are reported on the M1 southbound before Junction 14 Ardee and Junction 12 Dunleer.
The Justin Kelly has extended the declaration of an “exceptional event” until Tuesday.
Mr Kelly has directed that all rest days are cancelled until 7pm on Tuesday, extending the previous deadline of 8pm on Monday.
“Exceptional events” are declared when the Commissioner determines there is a security threat against the State.
It is understood gardaí were informed by their representative bodies of the extension last night.
€505m package pledged by Government
6am: An increase to the carbon tax will be delayed and petrol and diesel excise will be cut by 10c a litre as the Government has announced a €505m package aimed at addressing unrest over fuel costs.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, along with Tánaiste Simon Harris and junior minister Seán Canney, announced the plan after blockades at Whitegate Oil Refinery, ports at Foynes Port and Shannon Port, and O’Connell Street were lifted, while protests continued in other locations including Cork, Kerry, Offaly and Louth.
The package will include:
The scheme is additional to the €250m package announced last month.
Mr Martin said the measures would reduce the Government’s projected budget surplus this year but were a response to “real pressures” being felt by people due to rising fuel costs.
A new transport support scheme to help hauliers and those in the food and agri industries will be backdated to March 1.
Mr Canney said the scheme will be modelled on the licensed haulage support scheme and will “help and support those who are vital in our economy”.
Both Mr Harris and Mr Martin were critical of those who blockaded ports in recent days, with Mr Martin warning that if blockades recur, particularly at Whitegate, “the full rigours of the law will be applied”.
Mr Harris said that while the Government will “always” engage with representative bodies, it cannot be “reasonably or rationally be expected to engage with self-appointed spokespeople”.
He also said that while the Government will work to protect people from the effects of rising prices, “no government can completely shield people” from the fallout of war in Iran.
The cut to diesel will require European Commission approval, as Ireland has gone below the minimum tax allowed under EU rules.
Mr Harris said that “many countries” have engaged with the EU on the issue due to price shocks caused by the US-Israel war in Iran and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that much will depend on how long the conflict continues.
Mr Martin criticised the Opposition for preparing to table and support a motion of no confidence in his Government this week, saying many Opposition TDs had “acted as wardens” for “illegal blockades” or had spoken in support of protesters who had stopped oil from leaving the country’s only refinery at Whitegate in East Cork.
He said that those TDs were “not fit for government”.
Mr Martin said there would be a review of the “latitude” shown to protesters and a “comprehensive security review” of how the country’s oil supplies were curtailed.
Throughout Sunday, blockades at the entrances to the Shannon Foynes Port Company and fuel terminals at Foynes in Co Limerick and Galway dispersed, while organisers of the blockade of O’Connell Street said they had been “ambushed” by a 3.30am Garda operation to remove their six-day blockade.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group warned it will take “several days” for fuel distribution to return to normal and that a “risk to key supply chains” remains.
The group also said “concern remains that workers, including essential workers, may not have sufficient access to fuel to travel to and from work, which jeopardises the provision of critical services, including healthcare and business operations”.
The NECG added that supplies of fertiliser and animal feed “remain a challenge and will take a number of days to replenish stock”, while exports of fresh fish, a time-sensitive product, are “especially compromised due to the blockades”.
Leaving Cert and Junior Cert exams affected
The NECG also announced that, due to ongoing disruptions, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has deferred practical examinations scheduled for today, Monday, for Leaving Certificate Music and Junior Cycle Home Economics.
This decision was made because the SEC "cannot be sure that all examiners and students will be able to travel to their schools".
The deferral applies only to practical examinations scheduled for Monday. The SEC will put alternative arrangements in place and contact affected schools directly with further details.
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