Fuel protests enter second day as motorists face major delays across Cork, Dublin and Limerick

Slow-moving convoys and further delays have been reported by Gardaí this morning in Cork, Limerick, Dublin, Tipperary and Galway.

Commuters and motorists have been warned of "significant" delays as fuel protests go into a second day in many parts of the country.

Slow-moving convoys and further delays have been reported by Gardaí this morning in Cork, Limerick, Dublin, Tipperary and Galway.

Motorists are facing delays in both directions of the Macroom bypass in Co Cork. 

Areas in Cork that are impacted this morning include Ringaskiddy, as several trucks have created a blockage across the Shannonpark Roundabout.

Meanwhile in Limerick, traffic delays have been reported on the N21 from Adare towards the city centre, as well as on the Ballysimon road. The Coonagh roundabout is also blocked.

Protesters stayed on the M7 outside Limerick overnight, where around 80 vehicles took part, with drivers planning to return this morning. 

In Tipperary, there are currently delays on the M8 junctions 6-9 northbound.

Ongoing protest activity are currently disrupting traffic in Dublin City Centre, on O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge. Both the North and South Quays are also affected, according to an update issue by Gardaí on social media.

Traffic disruption have also been reported in Galway Docks in Galway City. 

In Co Clare, protesters have been gathering at the Banner Plaza and are set to take to the roads around Ennis and Shannon.

Fuel depots in Foynes, Co Limerick and in Galway have been blocked. This morning, suppliers were waiting for gardaí to arrive at the depots to get the morning deliveries out, but protests are ongoing on both sites.

A Government source said Gardaí would “have to address it”. They said this could be by moving protestors from the sites and restoring the flow of fuel to depots.

Blocking of fuel terminals 'reckless', says Jack Chambers 

Public expenditure minister Jack Chambers has called on protests to be stood down as he described the blocking of fuel terminals as "reckless".

"Some of the protests we've seen are completely unacceptable and irresponsible," Mr Chambers said.

"They're undermining business in our city and across the country.

"Blocking fuel terminals is reckless in the extreme, and they should stand down their protest.

"We have established bodies in respect of the Road Hulage Association, the respective farm organizations.

"This is a very serious issue, and it's unacceptable in the context of a global conflict and a global war," he said.

"Two weeks ago, the government made a significant intervention of €250m.

"It's totally unacceptable. It's irresponsible, and what's happening at fuel terminals is reckless, and they should stand it down."

When asked if the Government would meet the protestors, Mr Chambers said they would only engage with established groups.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien said it was not acceptable to turn cities into car parks, describing the protests as being “unprecedented”.

Mr O’Brien said it was “very serious” that two fuel terminals in Galway and Limerick were being blockaded by protestors, adding he had discussed the matter with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.

“We can’t have a situation where we have forecourts in this country with no supply, when we have good reserves in this country,” Mr O’Brien said, speaking on RTÉ Radio.

Mr O’Brien said the Government cannot respond to every single protest in the country, saying the Coalition is currently engaging with employer representatives like the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA).

“We can’t have this situation continuing indefinitely,” Mr O’Brien said, asking for protestors to de-escalate their blockade of Dublin city and other towns across the country.

“We understand the point that people are making. This is not the way to do it.

“People need to be able to access hospitals, they need to be able to go about their work, they need to be able to schools.” Mr O’Brien said public transport services like Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and the Luas were all being disrupted by protests, adding that only Iarnród Éireann services were running as scheduled.

Government to support hauliers and contractors, says Healy Rae 

Minister of State Michael Healy Rae has said the government is going to react in a positive way to support hauliers and agricultural contractors impacted by rising fuel costs.

Mr Healy Rae said it was obvious more "has to be done for these people".

"If further reductions can be given, that is what the government will seriously have to look at, because if you take, for instance, last week, the Irish Road Hauliers Association met with Minister Darragh O'Brien, and he explained to them the measures of what he was going to be trying to do to help that association, and they actually, because of the negotiations and talks that they've had, while I'm not trying to say they're happy, but they know that government are going to react and react in a positive way," Mr Healy Rae told RTÉ.

He added: “There are certain things that have to happen every day to move goods, to feed people and to keep this country going, and one of those things is a thing called diesel oil, and we need to keep our transport going and we need to keep things moving. Yes, you can encourage people not to use fuel unnecessarily, but at the same time, practicalities apply. People have to live, and you have to farm, you have to transport."

 Determined to continue

This comes as some protesters said last night they would continue their disruptions into today, as Gardaí maintained a presence in Dublin city centre.

This is the second day hauliers, farmers, contractors and other commercial operators have protested rising fuel prices.

On Tuesday, towns and cities across Ireland found tractors and other agricultural vehicles protesting, with groups organising meeting points and routes over the last few days to ensure a coordinated protest across the whole country.

A spokesperson for Dublin Bus spokesperson, Blake Boland, has said that there is significant disruption to services because of the fuel protests.

“Essentially anything that’s trying to come across the city is trapped,” he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

Mr Boland added protesters have now blocked Fleet Street.

O’Connell Street is currently closed on both the north and south sides with Dublin Bus attempting to divert buses along Eden Quay and Gardiner Street.

Mr Boland said that while a number of buses were able to leave their depots earlier this morning, there was now a challenge in getting buses across the city.