Garda water cannon arrives in Cork as fuel protests declared 'national exceptional event'

Whitegate refinery blockade places Cork at centre of escalating protests as gardaí deploy emergency powers and national resources

Fuel protests continued at Irving Oil Refinery at Whitegate, Co Cork on Friday as protesters blocked access to the refinery. The Garda Public Order unit was present but a standoff occured as protesters on the road blocked access to fuel trucks, in the heavy rain conditions. Picture: Larry Cummins

Garda commissioner Justin Kelly has declared a "national exceptional event" over the fuel protests and is deploying gardaí to deal with the emergency.

As part of this, the Garda’s two water cannons have been scrambled with one dispatched to the Southern Region to cover events at Whitegate Oil Refinery in East Cork, Foynes Port in Co Limerick, and Rosslare Port in Co Wexford.