Limerick fuel protesters undeterred by Defence Forces removal threat

At least a dozen parked tractors and lorries barricaded both entrances in the village of Foynes to the fuel depot. Photo: Brendan Gleeson

Demonstrators manning blockades at Foynes Port on Thursday were resolute in their determination to stay put, even in the face of threats that the Defence Forces would be deployed to remove them.

At least a dozen parked tractors and lorries barricaded both entrances in the village of Foynes to the fuel depot.

By early afternoon, the numbers of those gathering had swelled. The mood was tense but determined, and by 3pm the numbers of demonstrators gathered had more than tripled.

They intend to be there for the long haul. Masted lights, blue barrel bins and a Portaloo were installed at the demonstrators’ base.  

Those manning the blockage included a mix of farmers, farm and building contractors, and hauliers, as well as supporters, travelling from Limerick, Kerry and Clare.

As the day wore on and the rain lashed down, demonstrators gathered in vans or took shelter in the shadows of parked tractors and lorries.

Groups with their heads down and their hoods up listened intently to live local radio and Liveline, leaning through van door windows to hear as callers raged against them or rang in in support.

The muffled voice of Fine Gael minister Patrick O’Donovan could be heard booming out through the radios of multiple parked tractors, and nearby listeners could be seen shaking their heads and furrowing their brows.

The minister told RTÉ that “a line had been overstepped”.

“Everybody has a right to protest, and I support that, but the wrong people here now are going to get brought before the courts, and that's my genuine concern.

“The ringleaders of this will walk off into the sunset, and the wrong people will be brought before the court.” 

Those manning the blockage included a mix of farmers, farm and building contractors, and hauliers, as well as supporters, travelling from Limerick, Kerry and Clare.

Trucks, tractors and vans lined the hard shoulder on both sides of the N69 road into Foynes.

There was a strong garda presence at the blockade, but the focus was on keeping traffic in the area moving safely.

Early in the day an agreement was secured to allow trucks transporting chemicals for the safe treatment of water access to the port. The Irish Examiner saw at least four vehicles granted access through the blockade as it visited the scene.

The main entrance to the port on the far side of the village of Foynes remained completely blocked with tractors and lorries as the Irish Examiner visited the scene, and several tricolours were draped across the front of the vehicles.

Those manning the blockage included a mix of farmers, farm and building contractors, and hauliers, as well as supporters, travelling from Limerick, Kerry and Clare. Photo: Brendan Gleeson

Meanwhile in the village large queues formed amid fears West Limerick would be among the first in the country to run out of fuel due to the demonstrations. Large queues also formed at filling stations across the county.

Among those gathered was Jack Lyons, Abbeyfeale, who set up his own tree cutting and tree surgery business two years ago.

He said his business was badly hit by recent diesel increases. 

"People are not going with the work anymore because we're adding on the bit for diesel, and they are not coming back to us. Things are getting a bit scary. I've been here since the start, and I'm not leaving until it stops."

Asked what he made of the threats to deploy the Defense Forces, he was unfazed.

"I don't care. I know boys in the army. I wouldn't be in fear of them at all.

"Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Sure, I know the boys. They are not coming down at all, that's only old threats. They'll have to drag me out of here. That's the way it's going to go, they'll have to drag me out of here, I'm not leaving, not a hope."

Among those gathered at the blockade was Independent Ireland TD for Limerick Richard O'Donoghue.

Mr O'Donoghue was unconcerned about threats that the Defence Forces were to be deployed.

"If they do show up, and I've been listening to different messages across the board, they've been trying to get different things lifted here but the trucks that they need to lift the trucks are actually in the protest because they can't move. The Defence Forces don't want to do anything because they know what we are doing: We're respectful, we're a peaceful protest."

"We have to stay here until Micheál Martin sees sense and opens up dialogue."

When asked what he made of reports that Limerick would be the first affected to run out if fuel, Mr O'Donoghue said: "If it takes for Limerick to run out of fuel for the Government to see sense, to see how important it is to have these things moving - that's what the Government can't grasp.

"We have a Taoiseach who hasn't driven his own car in two decades. How can he understand the price of fuel when he hasn't put it into his own car? He's been driven around, and everything has been handed to him. So how can you expect somebody who never had to put fuel into his own car, hasn't driven his a car in two decades, to understand what these people are going through?"