LIVE: Gardaí secure entry to Cork refinery; fuel protesters refused access to meeting; DPD suspends deliveries
Standoff between Gardai and protesters at Whitegate as protesters prevent a fuel tanker from entering the Irving Oil refinery on Friday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins
- A standoff is currently underway between protesters and gardaí at Cork's Whitegate refinery;
- Talks to be held between the government and representative organisations;
- Ireland 'on the precipice' of turning oil away as depots and refineries remain blocked;
- Government cancels Canada trade mission as fuel protests continue;
- What is behind Ireland’s fuel protests? Here are some of the key points;
- Even if the fuel price protesters go home, the problem won't.
A standoff is currently underway between gardaí and protesters at the Whitegate oil refinery in east Cork after a fuel tanker was blocked from entering the site.
Protesters left the original blockade site and are now at the far side of the garda cordon, stopping trucks from accessing the oil refinery.
One protester climbed on top of a fuel truck waving a Tricolour flag.
Fuel protesters at Galway Docks have said there will be no “step down from any protests”.
Eoin Delaney, one of several dozen men standing out at the site, said: “There’s no fuel lorries going in or out at all. None has gone in now since Tuesday morning.
“There’s four lorries still sitting up there in the depot and four lorries came here Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night, and they were denied access.
“And while we’re after hearing there now, just from Dublin there as well, I don’t think there’s going to be any step down from any protests across the country.”
Asked if he was planning to stay out on protest, he said: “Yes, and that’s what we’re hearing from everyone and from everyone else around the country as well.”
Asked about the risk of having vehicles damaged if they are forced to be removed, Paul Greaney, a builder from Athenry, said: “That’s the risk, if they want to try and pull us out, they’re going to have a job. It’s not going to happen.”
Farming and haulage groups have been told this afternoon the Government does have a package of supports ready.
However, nothing will be rolled out until the blockades across the country are lifted.
Ahead of the meeting, Ger Hyland, the head of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) told reporters the stakes of the meeting were “massive”.
Mr Hyland said he met with some of the protest leaders before the meeting, seeking their input.
He told the there were “a number of mixed messages” coming from the protesters.
“They have their asks going into the meeting and it’ll be discussed inside in the meeting.” Mr Hyland said he hoped there would be some kind of resolution to the protests.
Protesters at the Whitegate oil refinery in east Cork have blocked a fuel tanker from entering the site, despite gardaí securing an access point earlier in the day.
Gardaí confirmed they had established entry to the refinery, with layers of barriers erected around the protest area, effectively containing demonstrators within a designated zone.
Two fuel trucks were allowed into the refinery earlier with the permission of protesters, in an effort to ensure emergency services had fuel and homes were not deprived of heating oil.
However, tensions escalated after two full tankers left the refinery under garda escort around an hour later.
More than 100 demonstrators moved to block the road, with gardaí intervening to prevent protesters from surrounding another truck.
There won’t be a single underage GAA fixture played in Cork this weekend as the county’s juvenile body, Rebel Óg, has postponed all games fixed for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday due to the ongoing fuel crisis.
Off the back of their decision on Thursday to postpone all juvenile games for that evening because of the fuel shortage and consequent traffic chaos, the latest Rebel Óg dispatch has confirmed the postponement of all hurling and football games scheduled for the next three days.
“We will be observing the situation over the weekend and we will let clubs know by lunchtime, Monday 13, where Rebel Óg stands at that time.”
John Dallon, one of the organisers of the protest, was turned away from Agriculture House as he attempted to attend a meeting being held between agriculture minister Martin Heydon and industry representatives.
The Government indicated they would be allowed join talks if they were part of the national groups delegation.
Five people, who have been a part of the protest, attempted to get in the door but were turned away.
They were seen speaking to Fine Gael TD Peter Roche after being turned away.
Before attempting to enter Agriculture House, Mr Dallon refused to say who had invited them to a meeting and denied saying that the blockades would be stood down if a meeting was facilitated.
He said that they would be stood down “if they got a good result”.
“We don't know what we're going to get, but we hope, hopefully we'll get something,” he said.
“We're going in here with advice for Ireland.”
When asked if he had been invited by the Government, he said, “We have been invited in.”
Mr Dallon also refused to say what the demands were, suggesting they were well known.
Mr Dallon rejected assertions the protests were severely impacting on emergency services amid fuel shortages across the country.
"We are having a peaceful protest and we have a constitutional right to be able to have peaceful protests continue."
Communications manager at Cork Airport Barry Holland advised passengers in Cork to depart with ample time ahead of their flight to ensure a timely arrival at the airport.
“Passengers who are flying from Cork Airport over the coming days are advised to be mindful of potential traffic disruption and to leave additional time for their journey to the airport,” said Mr Holland.
Additionally, Dublin Airport issued an advisory to passengers on Friday afternoon due to ongoing delays along the M50, urging passengers to allow for extra time when travelling to the facility.
While there have been reports of flight cancellations at Kerry Airport due to low jet fuel supply, a spokesperson for the facility confirmed flights were operating as usual.
It is understood airlines are not currently concerned about diminishing levels of jet fuel as no form of jet fuel is produced at the oil refinery in Whitegate, which has been subject to an ongoing blockade since Tuesday.
Micheál Martin has warned Ireland is “on the precipice” of turning oil away and may not be able to process fuel as garage forecourts run dry due to protesters blocking oil refineries and depots.
Saying people do not fully understand how serious the crisis is becoming, he added that “unelected and self-appointed people can't determine who gets oil in this country”.
The Taoiseach said Ireland is at risk of losing its oil supplies as other countries scramble for fuel amid a global crisis.
Speaking on on Friday afternoon, the Taoiseach said the blockading of ports and a refinery by fuel protesters was “unconscionable”.
He said “somebody else could buy” oil that is on a tanker off the coast of Galway if it can not dock.
Asked if Ireland is at risk of “losing all its oil supply”, Mr Martin replied “correct”.
“It is unconscionable, it’s illogical”, he said
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Gardaí have closed off Kildare Street ahead of a meeting between the Government and industry representatives this afternoon.
The Garda Public Order Unit has arrived, with multiple gardaí in place around the area.
Meanwhile, junior minister Timmy Dooley said the Government is anxious to find a solution to the protests.
"The entire country is under enormous pressure as a result of the increase in the price of oil," Mr Dooley said.
"Now the forced scarcity of the product that's putting the lives and livelihoods of a lot of people under enormous pressure. We all have a responsibility to try and bring this to a conclusion."
Asked if the Government had to deliver something today, Mr Dooley said nobody wanted to see the protests continue.
However he said solutions like price caps being floated by protesters were not affordable.
Courier company DPD has suspended deliveries in Ireland on Saturday due to the fuel protests.
In a statement on their website, the firm said: “Due to ongoing fuel protests and the operational challenges they are causing, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our services in the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, 11th April.
“We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.”
Service Update
— DPD Ireland (@dpdireland) April 10, 2026
Due to ongoing fuel protests, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our services in the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, 11th April. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. #YourDeliveryExperts pic.twitter.com/OKmWY9J6pV
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) have not been invited to the meeting between the government and representative organisations.
It is understood by the that the body believes it was not invited, due to ICSA's President Sean McNamara’s open participation in the protests regarding the rising fuel prices which are continuing into a fourth day.
In a statement regarding the lack of invitation, an ICSA spokesperson said: “ICSA has not received an invitation to today’s meeting.
There is no doubt that the concerns being raised around fuel costs and the broader pressure on farm incomes are very real, and many of our members share those frustrations.”
Micheál Martin and the Government’s planned trade mission to Canada will be cancelled as fuel protests across the country continue, it is understood.
The Taoiseach was due to travel to Canada on Sunday for several days of engagements in Ottawa Toronto, along with several other cabinet members.
However, the Irish Examiner understands the trade mission will be cancelled.
Ireland’s transport minister Darragh O’Brien has said blockades “need to end now” and said “we do not want to have to deal with this situation in a heavy-handed way and I don’t think that will happen”.
He said he had been in a meeting with the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris on Friday morning.
Asked about what would happen if fuel protesters attend the meeting with government at 2pm along with other representative groups, he said he was “not going to deal with what ifs”.
“It’s really about the issues, it’s not about the personalities,” he told Newstalk radio.
He added: “What needs to happen now is the blockades need to end.
“The reality that we have right now in this country is that we have forecourts going dry, completely; supply of critical fuels being blocked, emergency services being curtailed.
“This is extremely serious. This can stop now, today, and it should and and let us to continue negotiations in good faith.
“We recognise the fact that the impact of the price hikes that we have seen due to a global situation.”
Emergency services in Cork remain “stable” amid fuel scarcity, despite predictions that more than 200 fuel stations across the county are expected to run dry this morning.
Victor Shine, second officer with Cork City Fire Brigade the Irish Examiner that while their fleet of emergency trucks is not currently in danger of running low on fuel, “it is always a concern”.
“We’re stable at the moment, so we’re not panicking,” said Mr Shine.
“We have a minimum supply of fuel ourselves that we fuel in-station, but we do need trucks to keep us topped up.
“We’re supported by some of our surrounding petrol stations on both the North and South sides of the city, so we can go to them for fuelling when we start to get critical.
“Our trucks use quite a significant amount of diesel when they’re running, it’s not economical driving, we burn up a lot of fuel, so we’re hoping our fuel suppliers will still be able to fill our tanks when we need it.
“If we have to go to those stations we’ll make arrangements with them and they may give us slots to come and fuel up,” he added.
HGVs rolled into place blocking the road to the Whitegate oil refinery after talks with gardaí ended this morning.
Multiple garda vehicles remain at the scene including members of the garda public order unit.
One protester said that rising fuel prices were "the straw that broke the camel's back".
"There's been the cost of living crisis, the housing crisis. People are worn out from it," he said.
One protester worked overnight driving a truck and came straight back to the protest at 8am.
“I want a future for my children but fuel costs are eating into my savings all the time,” he said.
“We have to be here. We have to do this.”
The enterprise minister ruled out introducing any kind of fuel cap on petrol, diesel or green diesel, saying it would “take a wrecking ball” to the public finances.
“A cap has been tried out in many countries and, again, you have to always look at the evidence here,” Peter Burke said, speaking on RTÉ Radio.
“When you look at where the cap was tried out. In Argentina, in Egypt, in Pakistan, one common thread happened after it. The IMF were called in to each of those countries.
“What a cap will do is take a wrecking ball to our public finances. It will put the bill on the taxpayers, take it from the forecourt and put it on to our debt, on the back of every citizen in our country.
“We will not be able to sustain it.”
Pressed that other EU countries have introduced fuel price caps and IMF bailouts were not required, Mr Burke said it was still early.
Gardaí have been in animated discussions with protesters at the blockade outside Whitegate oil refinery this morning.
Approximately 100 protesters are present with more than 20 trucks, tractors and other vehicles at the site.
Cork forecourts stopped in by the Irish Examiner had no diesel left after 8am but still had some limited petrol supplies.
Industry experts have warned that hundreds of forecourts will have no diesel or petrol left by tonight if the blockades are not lifted soon.
Protesters say that approximately 200 people were at the Whitegate blockade until 2am. Protesters then took it in shifts to stay at the protest overnight.
A spokesperson for protesters at Foynes Port in County Limerick said they would open the port today for feed and for five loads of fuel for frontline workers and hospitals.
Speaking on RTÉ’s , Neilus O’Connor said protesters had let chemicals needed by Uisce Eireann through their blockade on Thursday.
Asked if the protest would end if they had a meeting with Government, he said: “We will wait until we see the results of that meeting, and then we’ll decide where we go from there.”
Gardai say “critical deliveries” left Rosslare Europort overnight after “positive and constructive engagement with local protesters” during the fuel demonstrations.
An Garda Siochana posted on social media showing a number of trucks and lorries being escorted from the port by a Garda car.
The force wrote: “An Garda Siochana has and continues to engage extensively with those taking part in fuel protests across the country to facilitate peaceful protest while protecting public safety.”
The Government will consider further measures to ease fuel costs at a key meeting with representative organisations, the Social Protection Minister has said.
Dara Calleary signalled there would be further measures put on the table at Friday’s talks, amid protests which have left cities and motorways gridlocked, and fuel running out in parts of the country.
“The important thing of it is that the meeting today will focus on the issues that are causing this,” Mr Calleary said, speaking on on Friday.
“It will focus on putting proposals on the table in relation to the price increases, in relation to the fuel price increases that are causing this.
“We want to engage around those proposals.” He said there was engagement with representative organisations on the matter last week, but that any proposals would need to be “rigorously tested”.
“You cannot have a situation where fuel is blockaded.”
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Asked about a possible cap on green diesel, Mr Calleary said when the UK Government sought to introduce an energy cap in 2022, it had “disastrous outcomes” for the then-British Prime Minister Liz Truss.
“We are a very small market, so we have to look at the consequences, intended or unintended, of every proposal.” He said the Government has shown it is open to more measures, citing the €250m package to cut excise on petrol and diesel last month.
Mr Calleary said the Government could not provide new measures while there are blockades.
Amid confusion about whether the protesters would attend the meeting, after spokesperson James Geoghegan said they had been invited last night, Mr Calleary said the meeting would be with representative bodies.
He said the Government is “not dictating” who they can bring as their representatives.
Asked if they would speak with them if they were at the talks, Mr Calleary said: “If they’re at the talks with the representative organisations, absolutely.” However, he said the Government’s wider position on direct talks with the protesters had not changed.
The government is set to meet with representative groups of farmers, agricultural contractors, and the haulage industry this afternoon, as the nationwide fuel protests enter day four.
There has been no confirmation that representatives of the protesters will join the meeting, despite a suggestion last night that they had been invited to do so.
The Irish Examiner understands that the Irish Road Haulage Association, ICMSA, INHFA, IFA, Macra, Ibec, ICOS, IGG, FCI and IGFA have been invited to a meeting with Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon. One government source said there were no protesters on the list. When asked if one of the groups could bring the protesters in, the source said they did not think that would be allowed.
One of the fuel protest organisers has suggested that the Government has agreed to meet protesters on Friday afternoon.
Speaking on RTÉ's , James Geoghegan said protests on O'Connell Street have been pared back as a result of the meeting at Government Buildings.
However, Minister of State Timmy Dooley said the meeting is with representative groups such as the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).
"My very clear information is that those who have been invited are those that we are already engaged with, who are the representative bodies," Mr Dooley said.
"Who they choose to bring with them is a matter for those representative bodies.
"I have no knowledge of the information that James Geoghegan has."
A Government spokesperson said: "The Government will continue to engage with official representative bodies. That will continue tomorrow."
Blockades remain in place at fuel terminals in Foynes, Co Limerick, Galway Harbour, as well as at the Whitegate Oil Refinery in east Cork.
At Whitegate, a significant presence of protesters remains on site, alongside a garda presence.
According to RTÉ, there were no signs of the army as of Thursday night or Friday morning, with protesters suggesting that things may escalate if the Defence Forces show up.
The protesters allowed workers to enter the refinery on Friday morning, and also let a tanker carrying kerosene leave, saying home fuel should not be affected and is not part of the fuel price protests.
Up to 200 forecourts will be dry of petrol and diesel on Friday if fuel trucks are not able to access those depots.
On Thursday, thousands of people flocked to stations that still had fuel to panic buy ahead of the weekend. As long lines of cars formed outside their forecourts, many stations restricted the amount customers could buy to €50.
Concerns are now growing in the Government about the availability of medicines, animal feed, and food supplies.
Government officials said that while there are robust fuel supplies in the country, the current situation is “solely a distribution issue that can be alleviated by ending blockades and restoring access for delivery vehicles”.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) warned there is now “serious concern” about fuel supplies for ambulances and other emergency services due to the blockades, "and this may have consequent impacts on the availability of some services should the disruption continue”.
“A NECG sub-group has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies.”
The HSE said the delivery of key medicines and medical devices could be disrupted and highlighted impacts on appointments, home care, dialysis, and cancer services.
Further road closures are as follows:
- In Tipperary, the northbound M8/N8 at Cashel has been closed due to blockades.
- In Castletroy, Co Limerick, the M7/N7 going westbound has been closed off.
- The Dock Road and the end of M18/N18 near Limerick.
- Parts of the M18/N18 between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Ennis.
- The M7/N7 going eastbound between Portlaoise and Ballybrittas.
- Parts of the M50 in Dublin.
There was no sign on Thursday night of the blockades being lifted, despite Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan saying he had discussed “measures in place to address disruption” with gardaí and the Defence Forces.
Mr O’Callaghan appealed to protesters to lift their blockades and warned that the Defence Forces “remain on standby” to move demonstrations blocking critical infrastructure.
Bus Éireann cancellations:
- A number of services across Cork city and surrounding areas may experience disruptions and delays on Friday.
- Route 257: The 6.40am Millstreet to Macroom and the 7.25am Macroom to Killarney have been cancelled.
- The 226X Kinsale to MTU bus at 7.30am has also been cancelled.
- In the east, all services to Rosslare Europort on the 101X have been suspended until further notice and will instead begin and end at Wexford Train Station.
Expressway diversions include:
- Route 2: Dublin Airport to Wexford will operate via the N11 and East Link, missing Busáras.
- Route 4: Dublin Airport to Waterford will divert through Heuston Station.
- Route 22 (Ballina/Sligo) will miss Heuston Station and Busáras.
- Routes 30 (Donegal) and 32 (Letterkenny) will miss Busáras but operate from Dublin Airport.
Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland, warned that 200 garages will have no diesel and petrol on Friday if protests in Cork, Galway, and Limerick do not end rapidly.
Some 100 forecourts were already dry on Thursday evening, with shortages most acute in Munster and along the west coast.
Cork was “particularly badly hit”, Mr McPartlan said.
Mr O’Callaghan confirmed gardaí have requested Defence Forces assistance to prevent blockades of critical infrastructure.
“Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed,” he said.
He warned protesters there “will be legal consequences”.
“But people have licences to drive vehicles. Those licences will be affected,” he said.
“In terms of any insurance coverage, I suspect, will be void as a result of the owner of the equipment deciding to voluntarily get involved in such illegal activity.” He urged protesters to stop, saying:
“They've made their point. Government has heard the point that they've made, but it's now clearly the case that considerable damage has been inflicted to Irish people and to the Irish economy, and I'd ask them to stop their protests.”
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