The protests over fuel costs

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I support them ..they seem like decent, hard working people who are at the end of their tether. Threatening them (as the Guards Representative did earlier) is not the way forward.

Maybe the Gov could consider a temporary tax rebate for genuine businesses badly affected. On a monthly basis so that if fuel costs reduce the relief can be withdrawn. Or something like that. It won't help everyone of course but we can't live without produce being hauled from place to place either.

I agree with them about fuel prices but I don’t agree with the blockade of fuel refineries and distribution points.

I am livid with Michael Martin and Simon Harris they have added what little fuel is out there to the fire at every step. I’m originally from an army town back in the day, I’d say we might have a handful of army drivers trained to drive artics the vast, vast majority are trained to drive rigid trucks which is what the vast majority of military vehicles are. Where are they off to with calling in the defence forces how are they going to move all of the artics around the country?

These are not small protests so politicians could have agreed to meet with these 3/4 men days ago. Then the comments that the protesters are being manipulated by Tommy Robinson by O’Callaghan were just so batshit.

Why didn’t they try a regular protest outside the Dail first? It worked for the SNAs recently (if I have that right!).

If the government give into this style to protest why wouldn’t the next group of people who want tax cuts etc do the same?

I don’t disagree with what they are protesting about. I’m surprised that there aren’t more protests about the levels of inequality in Ireland.

There is a tanker in Galway bay that can't unload as the storage tanks are full. So the protestors are preventing fuel from getting in to the country. That is fuel that we may not be able to get again if things escalate in the ME.

Yes, the cost of fuel is a serious issue. Yes, the government need to do more but the protestors demands are all over the place, with no cohesion. The government can't cap fuel prices given the current volatility in the market. There is also no elected leadership or oversight in the protestors so who should the government talk to as what one person agrees to, the next will disagree. The IFA and the hauliers association are the representative bodies for those protesting. They are the only groups it makes sense to talk to.

Basically, the protestors don't give a crap about how their actions are affecting the rest of us. I have medical appointments next week. Will I be able to get to them? I don't know. Will the medical professionals be able to get to work? I don't know. Sure, protest. That is their right but preventing fuel from getting in to the country and preventing ordinary people going about their daily lives is completely unacceptable.

There is a tanker in Galway bay that can't unload as the storage tanks are full. So the protestors are preventing fuel from getting in to the country. That is fuel that we may not be able to get again if things escalate in the ME.

Absolutely and if production has to halt at the refinery then that is a reduction in the supply side that will take a chunk of time to backfill too. That aspect of the protest is insane.

Completely. Particularly with the uncertainty over future supplies.

No don't support them, use the representative organisations already there to consult and negotiate with the government don't hold the country to ransom.

Their actions make it more difficult for the government to negotiate with them because it sets a precedent for people in the future who may have a grievance. Also as usual the people being hurt most by these actions are the most vulnerable. I follow some groups that provide food to the homeless who struggled to set up their soup kitchens in Dublin last night so people went hungry. That's not on. I work in a disadvantaged community where people rely on public transport and couldn't get to important appointments because their buses had to divert routes.
The protests are now being infiltrated by the far right and I heard some very questionable, racist views being spouted by some protestors the other day blaming IPAS centres for using too much fuel I mean wtf. They're throwing every grievance at it.

Well now as they comment 'DEPORT' onto all and every newspaper release about a criminal online they not really shocking cos I mean what else would you say when Oisin Og Ni Chearbhalain wearing a kerry jersey in his mugshot as he clearly is one of dem foreiners 🙄

I think they have been trying to use their representative organisations (IFA etc) but found them useless.

I really hate the narrative this government seems to fall back on anytime there is criticism or protests in this country - that it must somehow be coming from malign foreign influences.

As though we can’t think for ourselves.

No, it must be the bogeyman Brits causing all this.

So fucking patronising.

Síle Seoige has a good post on her instagram

Because they are vaguely realistic as to what is possible? Protestors are a pack of gurriers.

I do have empathy for the protestors but John Dallon on RTE - the language!

Accuses the government of “sitting in armchairs laughing at them”, populist nonsense, “we’’ll shut the country down” which will achieve what exactly, “the government need to come out here like men” i.e. give us exactly what we want and no less.

“the government need to come out here like men” - misogynistic in the extreme. The rest of it is just rabble rousing.

I don't think there is anyone without empathy for the protestors. It's the way they're going about it that is the issue.

My DMs care team have called to say they can't guarantee cover for her next week. And at present there are at least 2 motorway blockages between me and her. Going down the N roads will take me about 5 hours.
There will be deaths on these protesters hands if this carries on. HSE in Kerry is talking about stopping non urgent care and DPD has stopped deliveries nationwide according to the IT, although parcel delivery unlikely to be a life or death issue.

And the irony of it while citing the need to keep the haulage industry going.

It is scary how quickly things can descend into chaos.

This is the kind of charming individual that our politicians are being pressured to negotiate with https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2026/04/10/fuel-protest-leader-james-geoghegan-has-animal-cruelty-convictions-and-revenue-judgments/.

It would make more sense for them to ship the tractors over to the US and Israel and blockade the White House, Pentagon and Knesset. The oil price situation is not our Government's doing, although they could have relaxed the duties they shouldn't do it now, they can't give in to blackmail. I am in complete agreement with the right to protest, but this one makes no sense to me - the price of fuel has shot up, so let's waste a load of it driving all over the country, blocking other people who are now wasting fuel stuck on the roads, blocking public transport, hitting businesses that may now go under due to inability to get fuel - I can't join the dots on this at all. And who are the organisers?

I hope they can get to your mother. That is very stressful for you both.

Parcel delivery may not be life or death but other deliveries are. My meds are ordered in by the pharmacy when I need them. They don't hold them in stock. I don't have any wriggle room with them as I can only get a month's supply at a time.

And don't forget preventing fuel from getting in to the country.

Sounds like a lovely guy. His claims that it was his father, not him, who was responsible for the animal cruelty are certainly at odds with his statements at the time of the conviction. Sounds like he's not short of a bob or two either with the tax judgements against him.

The problem is though that people who see the world as “the government” V “the ordinary people” will see this as media takedown.

A girl I know who has been supported by social welfare her entire adult life inc a new council property is liking Facebook posts in support of John Dallon.

Btw I’ve no issue with social welfare and want to live in a state with good social welfare, but I do wish people would pause for breath sometimes when going on about “the government” while at the same time being well supported by the state (which I’m not saying all people on social welfare are either, in this one case she was v lucky a new property came up).

i also get why they’re doing it but know of people who’ve cancelled hospital appointments and carers who were late getting to people because of it. They’ve impacted people who really didn’t need this

I live in an area with 3 graveyards and a crematorium (plus Cork Harbour and pharmacy plants).With random road blocks. I think the point has been made and it's time to get back to normal life.