Retailers criticise truckers' decision to 'block Dublin Port' in protest against high fuel prices

Truckers on the N7 Dublin this morning. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Dublin motorists are bracing themselves for a traffic standstill this morning, as a haulage body protests against rising fuel prices, despite pleas from businesses in the capital to call it off.

The Irish Truckers and Haulage Association Against Fuel Prices was set to be joined by some farmers in the day-long demonstration, as business leaders slammed the timing of the protest as counter-productive and incendiary.

The Irish Truckers and Haulage Association instructed protesting vehicles to meet at various points around the country before descending on Dublin in the morning, saying farmers would join them in the afternoon.

The body caused mass disruption to traffic in November during a similar demonstration, leading the main haulage association in Ireland to distance itself from the group. 

The group plan to block Dublin Port as part of today's demonstration.

Gardaí have said they are aware of the protest, and that a "proportionate" response has been put in place.

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said it is not affiliated with the demonstrating group, and will not be a part of the protest, but has argued that action is needed to tackle spiralling fuel costs.

Business leaders in Dublin hit out at the protesters, saying it "beggars belief" that they would do so at such a critical time of the year for retailers who are already under pressure.

Retail Excellence, the largest representative body for the retail industry in Ireland, said it would represent a “body-blow” to retailers in Dublin city at a crucial time of the year for sales.

Managing director of Retail Excellence Duncan Graham said: “There is no doubt that every industry is under fire from various quarters at present, and we have some sympathy for the plight of the hauliers, but now that sympathy is rapidly running out.

At this time of the year, retailers take in approximately €200m every day, and it beggars belief that one group would act in this irresponsible way to restrict access to the capital city, and in doing so, imperil livelihoods at a time when every trading day counts. 

Mr Graham said that Dublin had been particularly badly affected by Covid restrictions, and that this protest comes at the worst possible time. 

“Footfall in Dublin City centre is down by 30% on 2019 levels, as people continue to steer clear of the capital and instead shop online or in suburban shopping centres," he said. 

"This action by truckers and hauliers is a body-blow which will drive another nail into the coffin of many city-centre retailers who are in desperation mode now.” 

He appealed to The Irish Truckers and Haulage Association Against Fuel Prices to call off its protest at such a critical time.

“In any normal year, the Christmas period is critically important for retailers," said Mr Graham. 

This year — after months of enforced closures, decreased footfall, the increased cost of trade, severe weather disruption, and having to contend with the same fuel prices that hauliers are protesting against — it will be the difference between survival and closure.

Despite the pleas from businesses, the haulage body showed no sign of backing off its demonstration, claiming it had "massive support along the roads" at last month's event.

Protesters 'pressing nuclear button' ahead of negotiations

Traffic on the N4 this morning. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins Dublin

The CEO of business group Dublin Town, Richard Guiney accused protesting hauliers of “pressing the nuclear button” before negotiations took place.

Mr Guiney told Newstalk Breakfast that today’s protest was going to hurt an already vulnerable sector of the economy,

“Obviously it's a very important time for retailers in the city, we're not having the best of Christmases for obvious reasons. There's a lot of jobs on the line, a lot of businesses that are struggling.” 

Mr Guiney asked what negotiations and discussions had taken place before the protest was organised.

"It does look like the nuclear button was pressed before the serious negotiations took place," he said.

"Fuel prices rise, they fall - everybody knows that - we've all seen it in our electricity bills, for example."

Mr Guiney said that, in an integrated economy, with each section feeding into the other, industries should be helping each other instead of making things worse. The economy was integrated with each section feeding into the other.

“We've seen that really during the Covid crisis, how important all the various parts of the economy are for each other. Dublin city has struggled, retailers have struggled, everybody knows that our footfall is about three quarters of what it would have been in 2019.”

Consultant Obstetrician and Associate Professor at the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Dr Declan Keane said last month's demonstration caused disruption for patients at the NMH, and he urged hauliers to avoid the area this morning.

"If the truckers feel they have to converge on Dublin again, could they please stay away from Merrion Square and the National Maternity Hospital," he wrote on Twitter.

"They caused untold disruption to patients three weeks ago disrupting patients, babies and numerous appointments."