Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
Very informative thread! Thanks!
CHAT For our Irish cousins a question
- Thread starter CaryC
- Start date
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
The protesters were out all night blocking the roads 
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Fuel protests causing second day of traffic disruption amid warnings it may run to Friday
- Dublin's O'Connell St is closed
- "Anything trying to come across city is trapped", warns Dublin Bus
- Warnings of possible road blocks to Dublin Airport and Port Tunnel
- Organisers say they could be maintaining road blocks until Friday
- Slow-moving convoys reported on N21 from Adare towards Limerick city, Limerick- Ballysimon Road, and Macroom bypass in both directions in Cork
- Protests on the M8 close to Cashel in Co Tipperary overnight
- ICTU boss Owen Reidy has spoken of “double standards” in the way union protests are treated compared to those of farmers.
Fuel protests causing second day of traffic disruption amid warnings it may run to Friday | BreakingNews
A second day of disruption around the country due to fuel protests as public transport in Dublin city severely affected and fuel depots in Galway and Limerick blocked
www.breakingnews.ie
Old Greek
Veteran Member
I bet prohibition would not work also!When the Green Party were a part of the coalition government they introduced a ban on the sale of turf but being Irish everybody just ignores it.
Same as when they brought in water charges and nobody paid them
( I am part Irish )
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
I bet prohibition would not work also!
Not a hope
All though some of the Gen Z don't drink.
I stopped drinking a long time ago.
My great Grandfather never drank in his life , he was a Pioneer,
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (PTAA)
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association - Wikipedia
Old Greek
Veteran Member
Wow - learn something new every day!Not a hope
All though some of the Gen Z don't drink.
I stopped drinking a long time ago.
My great Grandfather never drank in his life , he was a Pioneer,
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (PTAA)
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Melodi
Disaster Cat
When we moved here 30 years ago, a geriatric nurse said in a radio interview: "When we are talking about old people, we are talking about women because most men here are dead by age 60."
That is no longer the case, and of course, there were some older men, even then. Our housemate's father was about 60 at the time and lived into his 90s. But he was one of the "Young Pioneers" from the 1930s who pledged never to drink, and he didn't.
I told my husband, "The Young Pioneers are the ones who live to become the Old Pioneers."
While most of the men, of what would have been called The Greatest Generation in the US, didn't see Old Age (and a lot of that was a lack of medical care for decades, as well as alcoholism), much of my parents' "Silent" generation did. Now that the "Boomers" are reaching old age, they are doing much better, with both men and women living into their 70s and 80s.
I suspect that generation "Z" here in Ireland is drinking less, partly from the change in culture from pub-based social drinking being the norm, to people buying cheaper stuff at the Supermarket and drinking at home or at parties. The social scene is very different these days, with many rural pubs closed and socializing taking place in other ways, including online.
And yep, the oil protests continue today. The government pretty much ignored them yesterday, and now the truckers and farmers are blocking oil distribution centers so petrol (gasoline) and diesel can't be delivered to the "pumps" (gas stations).
That is no longer the case, and of course, there were some older men, even then. Our housemate's father was about 60 at the time and lived into his 90s. But he was one of the "Young Pioneers" from the 1930s who pledged never to drink, and he didn't.
I told my husband, "The Young Pioneers are the ones who live to become the Old Pioneers."
While most of the men, of what would have been called The Greatest Generation in the US, didn't see Old Age (and a lot of that was a lack of medical care for decades, as well as alcoholism), much of my parents' "Silent" generation did. Now that the "Boomers" are reaching old age, they are doing much better, with both men and women living into their 70s and 80s.
I suspect that generation "Z" here in Ireland is drinking less, partly from the change in culture from pub-based social drinking being the norm, to people buying cheaper stuff at the Supermarket and drinking at home or at parties. The social scene is very different these days, with many rural pubs closed and socializing taking place in other ways, including online.
And yep, the oil protests continue today. The government pretty much ignored them yesterday, and now the truckers and farmers are blocking oil distribution centers so petrol (gasoline) and diesel can't be delivered to the "pumps" (gas stations).
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks for all the info. I appreciate it. I know now my whining is falling on deaf ears. *sniff*The protesters were out all night blocking the roads
But you got to figure that not being able to drive around is saving money. Right?
With "petrol" at 10.00 American a gallon ( I got to say for me that is still staggering, gassed up yesterday to Sam's for 3.48 reg.) Y'all don't keep the roads hot do you? I've got family members over here that they can't stay at home and have to be out on the roads for no reason. Well, they think they have a reason, so you can't talk to them. Like go today for a jar of mustard, tomorrow for some sandwich ham, the next for a loaf of bread. When in my way of thinking they should have bought all 3 on the first trip, and saved the gas on the last 2.
I just can't see y'all doing that. But it happens a lot over here.
Me and SB go twice a month. If we run out of something in between we just tough it out, and survive. Once you run out a time or two, you will tend to go through everything and make a list so you won't.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
Lots of rural families here do "The Big Shop" once a week or so. In the old days, like when we moved here, there were still a lot of village grocery/hardware shops people shopped at, but today most of those that still exist have gone corporate (our village shop was replaced by a "Centra," which is basically a Stop & Shop). There are still some places where people shop for fresh food every day, but most of the open-air markets have shut down, except for a few in the larger cities.
Also, when we moved here, most people had no freezers, and their fridges were the size of what Americans would call a "dorm" fridge. So larger families HAD to shop more often because of a lack of cold storage (or, in many cases, any storage). Fast forward thirty years, and while the fad for large American Fridge/Freezers has died back, most were made in China, and when one side failed, you had to buy a new one, and they failed far too often. Also, Irish families have little need for crushed ice. But a basic kitchen fridge and separate freezer are twice the size of the old ones, and many people out here have one or more horizontal freezers. We have more than one ourselves, so if we get a good deal on something (or when Nightwolf was hunting, he bagged a deer, or I could order 1/4 of a cow), we have space for it.
In one of the other threads, I wrote about how you live on 10-dollar-a-gallon gasoline, pretty much the same thing I wrote in 2008 when it happened the last time. Basically, out here, which has limited (and didn't use to have any) public transport, you combine your trips, just as you are already doing in many rural areas of the US. You have to, and the rest of the time you stay home or you carefully plan travel times and situations to be as frugal as possible. Eating from a cooler rather than the neither fast, nor cheap foods that exist in "fast" food places along the way. Even the American chains never taste right anyway, and since Burger King started hiding their kitchen and obviously microwaving their burgers, I have no interest, anyway.
Also, when we moved here, most people had no freezers, and their fridges were the size of what Americans would call a "dorm" fridge. So larger families HAD to shop more often because of a lack of cold storage (or, in many cases, any storage). Fast forward thirty years, and while the fad for large American Fridge/Freezers has died back, most were made in China, and when one side failed, you had to buy a new one, and they failed far too often. Also, Irish families have little need for crushed ice. But a basic kitchen fridge and separate freezer are twice the size of the old ones, and many people out here have one or more horizontal freezers. We have more than one ourselves, so if we get a good deal on something (or when Nightwolf was hunting, he bagged a deer, or I could order 1/4 of a cow), we have space for it.
In one of the other threads, I wrote about how you live on 10-dollar-a-gallon gasoline, pretty much the same thing I wrote in 2008 when it happened the last time. Basically, out here, which has limited (and didn't use to have any) public transport, you combine your trips, just as you are already doing in many rural areas of the US. You have to, and the rest of the time you stay home or you carefully plan travel times and situations to be as frugal as possible. Eating from a cooler rather than the neither fast, nor cheap foods that exist in "fast" food places along the way. Even the American chains never taste right anyway, and since Burger King started hiding their kitchen and obviously microwaving their burgers, I have no interest, anyway.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
FUEL PROTEST TRIBUTE ( Directors Cut !! )
Rt 4.44
Truck convoys on the M7, M50, and roads near Limerick, Galway, and Cashel are featured, demonstrating a significant ireland protest. This news report includes views from O'Connell St in dublin
bluelady
Veteran Member
Our youngest (30) who lives in Dublin doesn't have a car. He bikes to work, and uses public transportation. That wouldn't work if he was rural. He spends his money on travel, just spent a week sailing in Thailand. He loves his Irish passport! 
So I guess it's not affecting him directly, though certainly indirectly; I'm sure he will find travel cost getting prohibitive for a while. He booked the Thailand trip last year and wouldn't have missed it for anything. At least he can get to work with no problem.
So I guess it's not affecting him directly, though certainly indirectly; I'm sure he will find travel cost getting prohibitive for a while. He booked the Thailand trip last year and wouldn't have missed it for anything. At least he can get to work with no problem.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Our youngest (30) who lives in Dublin doesn't have a car. He bikes to work, and uses public transportation. That wouldn't work if he was rural. He spends his money on travel, just spent a week sailing in Thailand. He loves his Irish passport!
So I guess it's not affecting him directly, though certainly indirectly; I'm sure he will find travel cost getting prohibitive for a while. He booked the Thailand trip last year and wouldn't have missed it for anything. At least he can get to work with no problem.
Between the Dublin Bus , Luas & Dart it's fairly easy to get around in Dublin, but yes the rural areas are much different.
We'd be lost without a car.
My eldest son lives in main land Europe and he loves public transport, he can go anywhere in Europe fairly cheaply.
My niece did Thailand , Laos & Cambodia and loved it, she just recently did Bali
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Melodi
Disaster Cat
I am still dependent on my housemate to get me to the bus stops, as they are farther away than I can walk; the nearest is about 3 miles. And, while things are improving, they run so infrequently that even though I get free transport being of a certain age (and officially handicapped), sometimes it is easier to have my housemate drive 45 miles to a medical appointment. It depends on where and when it is. I also end up budgeting a certain amount for hotels. I used to use B&Bs until they got as expensive as hotels, and at that point, I figured I might as well stay somewhere that doesn't expect me to be out by 10 am.
Hey we did adopt 9mmFor metric challanged Americans converting Liter to U.S. Quart and vice versa: 1 liter = 1.06 U.S. quarts, 1 U.S. quart = 0.946 liters
So the easy quick rounding conversion is basically ONE LITER = ONE U.S. QUART
FOUR liters = ONE U.S. gallon
The U.S. was "supposed" to convert over to metric starting in the 70's....but being "Americans" we didn't. Well, mostly. Medicine and much of the military did, but civilians essentially didn't. It's a shame, but it is - what it is.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Slàn Abhaile is Irish for Safe Home, its how we say Goodbye in Irish to somebody who's leaving, we're wishing them a safe journey.
If your the person leaving you say Slán Agat - Safe at you, meaning stay safe.
Slán go Fóill - Safety for now, meaning see you later or goodbye for now.
If your the person leaving you say Slán Agat - Safe at you, meaning stay safe.
Slán go Fóill - Safety for now, meaning see you later or goodbye for now.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Defence Forces called in to assist gardaí dealing with fuel protests
The Defence Forces have been officially called in to deal with fuel protests across the country.
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Army responded to a request from gardaí to help remove large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure like oil and water facilities.
It comes on foot of an official request for assistance by An Garda Síochána.
In a statement Jim O'Callaghan said owners of vehicles should remove them immediately this morning, and should not complain later if those vehicles are damaged during removal.
Defence Forces called in to assist gardaí dealing with fuel protests | BreakingNews
Today marks the third day of demonstrations against what protestors say is Government inaction on the fuel crisis
www.breakingnews.ie
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Its gone mental here. Massive queues at petrol stations.
Rumours that the country is gonna be shutdown
Petrol stations have run out of fuel
Rumours that the country is gonna be shutdown
Petrol stations have run out of fuel
Melodi
Disaster Cat
My concern is that health workers take six hours to get to their jobs at the hospitals. I understand why the farmers and truckers are doing this, but the government's response of simply calling in the military to remove them won't solve the problems. My housemate (whose grandparents survived WWII in Germany by having the entire family retreat to a rural farm/homestead) knew to fill up her smallish car, the moment this thing started.
I realize not everyone could do that, but a lot of people in the UK and Ireland didn't seem to react until they suddenly realized, OMG, this is real! A commentator I follow in Scotland mentioned late last week that almost no one was reacting the way he thought they would. Mostly, they were acting as if nothing was happening, instead of the usual line-up at the pumps and a run on toilet paper (loo roll) and basic foodstuffs like milk and bread.
I mean, I'm sure careful people were quietly doing so. The moment the bullets started flying a couple of weeks ago, I took money out of savings and ordered a year's worth of firewood.
Like Marth, a lot of our heating comes from solid-fuel stoves, but not every room has one, and we normally use small electric heaters in some spaces. But we could get by, if we have to, without them. Though I'd end up moving my computer to another room with a stove/fireplace and making other modifications.
I realize not everyone could do that, but a lot of people in the UK and Ireland didn't seem to react until they suddenly realized, OMG, this is real! A commentator I follow in Scotland mentioned late last week that almost no one was reacting the way he thought they would. Mostly, they were acting as if nothing was happening, instead of the usual line-up at the pumps and a run on toilet paper (loo roll) and basic foodstuffs like milk and bread.
I mean, I'm sure careful people were quietly doing so. The moment the bullets started flying a couple of weeks ago, I took money out of savings and ordered a year's worth of firewood.
Like Marth, a lot of our heating comes from solid-fuel stoves, but not every room has one, and we normally use small electric heaters in some spaces. But we could get by, if we have to, without them. Though I'd end up moving my computer to another room with a stove/fireplace and making other modifications.
Hognutz
TB Fanatic
R/T1:07
View: https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2042202275423097304?s=46
NOW - Ireland's government deploys the Army to remove protesters' vehicles, as Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon warns truckers, farmers, and business owners protesting fuel prices and taxes, that they must "immediately cease blockades... or face the full rigors of the law
View: https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2042202275423097304?s=46
NOW - Ireland's government deploys the Army to remove protesters' vehicles, as Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon warns truckers, farmers, and business owners protesting fuel prices and taxes, that they must "immediately cease blockades... or face the full rigors of the law
Hognutz
TB Fanatic
R/T3sec
View: https://twitter.com/bgatesisapyscho/status/2042171516477915315?s=46
The Irish government are now deploying the military to tackle truckers and farmers protesting the destruction of their livelihoods.
Irish government are quick to call on the army to deal with hard-working indigenous Irish citizens, but do nothing to protect them from the thousands of men they are deliberately importing.
View: https://twitter.com/bgatesisapyscho/status/2042171516477915315?s=46
The Irish government are now deploying the military to tackle truckers and farmers protesting the destruction of their livelihoods.
Irish government are quick to call on the army to deal with hard-working indigenous Irish citizens, but do nothing to protect them from the thousands of men they are deliberately importing.
Hognutz
TB Fanatic
View: https://twitter.com/thenotoriousmma/status/2042222934190686538?s=46
No one gets a veto on what tractors can come into their community.
The diversity that tractors bring to O’Connell Street are its strength.
The tractor and truck drivers are simply seeking a better life.”
No one gets a veto on what tractors can come into their community.
The diversity that tractors bring to O’Connell Street are its strength.
The tractor and truck drivers are simply seeking a better life.”
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Fuel protests latest as M50 blocked with punters walking to airport, pubs running out of beer and army called in.
THE army was called in as fuel protests around the country continued to escalate for a third day, with the Taoiseach saying they’ve gone “far beyond the pale”.
HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Government’s response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.
There are slow-moving convoys on motorways and blockades taking place on major roads in Dublin and other cities around the country.
Hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors are among protesters disrupting traffic.
Trucks continued to blockade O’Connell Street in Dublin today, with a number of new vehicles joining the protest in the capital.
Roads are closed around the city centre, including on the north and south quays, O’Connell Bridge and Westmoreland Street.
The Luas Green Line is suspended between St Stephen’s Green and Dominick, with services only operating between Broombridge and Dominick and between St Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen. Red Line services are operating normally.
Gardai have closed the M50 due to a go-slow convoy from J5 Finglas northbound, with northbound traffic directed onto the N2 outbound and traffic from the M1 directed onto the M50 southbound.
Dublin Airport has warned passengers travelling to and from the airport to allow extra time due to the protest activity and traffic disruption.
Images from the M50 today showed people walking along the hard shoulder of the motorway with suitcases in tow.
On RTE’s Liveline, a woman described scenes on the M50 as she saw people “pulling their luggage” along the road and spotted “men urinating” amid the gridlock.
She added: “I have never seen anything like this in my life.
“People are pulling their luggage trying to get to the airport on the verge of the M50.
“I mean, engines were turned off, men were urinating all along the verge.
“It was just crazy.”
Elsewhere, Dublin Bus said it is “experiencing service disruptions across the Dublin Bus network” and also said to “allow additional travel time”.
Numerous routes have been cancelled or have been given new termini due to the ongoing protest.
There are also several diversions as services seek to avoid the protest areas, which can be read on the Dublin Bus website here.
Some publicans have also warned that city centre pubs will run out of beer unless the blockades are lifted.
One staff member at O’Connell’s pub on Bachelors Walk told the Irish Independent that they were down to their last keg of Guinness at lunchtime today.
Tommy O’Brien, at The Grand Social, said nothing arrived despite today being delivery day, adding: “No delivery has come in, no delivery, no beer.
“We will be OK for today, but will we have enough for the weekend? I don’t know.
“Staff have to be paid, it is absolutely a worry. Hopefully it gets resolved in the next day or two.”
Manager of the Arlington Hotel on Bachelors Walk Mags Shannon also told the publication that beer was not being delivered.
She added: “Alcohol deliveries from the likes of Diageo and Heineken are supposed to be today, but so far, we haven’t gotten anything.
“We are a big premises and have stock, but how long we can last is a guessing game.
“We have a sister property that we have had to taxi the stock from.”
Earlier, the Defence Forces were asked to remove vehicles which had blockaded crucial infrastructure, including the Whitegate refinery in Co Cork and Shannon Foynes Port in Co Limerick.
Up to 18 heavy trucks had blocked two entrances to that facility on Thursday, while tractors also stopped container lorries from entering the Port of Cork.
Following a meeting between Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, gardai sent a C70 request, also known as ‘Aid to the Civil Power’, to the army this morning.
In a statement on Thursday morning, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said: “The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested.”
He added owners of the vehicles involved in the blockades “should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal”.
The Defence Forces confirmed they had received a request for assistance from An Garda Siochana and said because “this operation is ongoing” they would not be commenting further.
They have four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to help clear trucks and tractors involved in blockades and it is understood it is envisaged that assistance will be limited to these vehicles and the personnel required to operate them.
The Defence Forces also said images of a convoy of Mowag armoured personnel carriers circulating on social media are “the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to Unifil next month”.
This morning it was understood that some filling stations around the country have imposed buying limits to preserve fuel.
And this evening, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) said there is now “serious concern regarding” access to fuel for emergency service vehicles.
It added in a statement that supply issues may have impacts on the availability of emergency services.
An NECG sub-group has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) briefed the body that the disruption is causing people to miss scheduled medical appointments and is impacting the provision of homecare and critical care, such as dialysis and cancer treatment, to some service users.
The HSE also warned that the blockades have the potential to disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices, given that frequent and reliable transport is critical to their supply.
The NECG also said the obstruction of key access routes from ports is now threatening the provision of animal feed supplies, fertiliser and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods in the agriculture sector.
Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland also told RTE radio that the country is “heading really quickly” into emergency service vehicles not having access to fuel.
He added that it is now at the stage that “real significant life-death problems are going to be caused” if blockades of fuel terminals are not lifted.
He said protesters should think of who they are “hurting”, adding: “Do they really believe that by stopping the healthcare worker getting to work on their night shift tonight; do they really believe that by stopping families getting their shopping; do they really believe that by stopping people getting their home heating; do they really believe that threatening emergency services fuel – because it’s all the same fuel – do they really believe that that is in the best interest of the communities that they purport to represent?”
Mr McPartland said “keeping hard shoulders open is absolutely irrelevant” if emergency service vehicles do not have the fuel to drive in them.
Asked when fuel would run out at service stations, he said: “We can’t model it because we’re not having normal levels of demand – panic buying has absolutely taken hold.
“And we really need to say to people that once the fuel supply routes are reopened, we will recover this really quickly within within a day or two.
“We will be back to normal levels of supply in every forecourt in the country but if we exacerbate the problem now by panic buying, filling the car earlier or more than they would ordinarily do, they’re actually creating the problem we’re suffering from at the moment.”
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Health Service Executive chief executive Anne O’Connor earlier jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during the protests.
Ms MacNeill and Ms O’Connor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.
They said: “Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.
“Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.”
This morning, Minister for Tourism Patrick O’Donovan said there are a “very substantial number” of filling stations around the country that have run out of fuel, particularly in rural areas.
Speaking on RTE’s News at One, he said some stations have been out of fuel since early this morning.
He said: “Emergency vehicles, for instance, the ambulance service and the gardai will operate on fuel cards.
“I don’t think any thought has been put into when those tanks run dry, how is it an expectant mother supposed to get to St Munchen’s Hospital in Limerick if her waters break.”
He added that there are fuel issues all over the world due to the war in Iran.
But he said: “The issue with regard to fuel in Ireland at the moment, with forecourts being closed all over county Limerick and a queue a mile long outside my own constituency office, doesn’t relate to the Strait of Hormuz.
“It relates to a distribution problem, where we have Whitegate, Foynes, Galway and other fuel depots around the country being blockaded.”
Meanwhile, Micheal Martin told RTE he did not “anticipate” there would be violence if the army and gardai moved in on demonstrators.
The Taoiseach said it is “not in our nature to be engineering any situation that gives rise to conflict”.
Mr Martin said “the Government had to act” once the Whitegate oil refinery and the Foynes fuel terminal were blocked.
Defence Minister Helen McEntee told reporters at the Curragh Camp that the Defence Forces intervention was “never a first resort”.
However, she said: “It cannot be the case that individuals decide that they are going to blockade parts of the country and stop people from going about their business.
“That they’re going to essentially put other businesses out of business now because of their actions, that farmers are potentially going to put animals at risk because of their actions, and that people aren’t able to get to hospital appointments.
“So, as the Government, we have to take firm steps.”
In a statement to the media at Garda headquarters in Dublin, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon said gardai are now “moving to an enforcement phase” unless protesters “desist and disperse”.
She added: “An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.”
The protesters say they have nominated “three or four” spokespeople they want to meet Government leaders.
However, speaking on RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland show, one of them, John Dallon said he does not speak for the protesters blocking fuel depots: “I’m here on the streets of Dublin, I have no voice as regards what’s happening down the country as regards blocking up ports.”
He added: “What’s happening down there is out of my hands, I have no control over what happens.”
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said he would meet with farming and haulier representative groups but would not speak to the protesters.
He said: “What is very clear here is that this is a clear choice between democracy or anarchy, and we have a rule of law in this country.
“I completely understand where people’s frustration is from in terms of (the) very high energy shock as a result of the war that has broken out between America, Israel and Iran.”
Asked specifically about the carbon tax, which some protesters have suggested should be abolished, Mr Heydon said: “Undermining the overall economy is not in the best interest of the public at this time, where we’re facing a very uncertain geopolitical future.
“So that’s why people have to trust that the Government, while working with all the representative bodies, is doing everything it can within the scope of the tools available to us and will continue to examine the opportunities further for us.”
Other coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.
Minister O’Callaghan also said fuel protesters are being “manipulated” by “outside actors”.
Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim O’Callaghan said “when you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes”.
He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was “referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures”.
“So I think we need to recognise that people are being manipulated here, and we need to bring an end to these protests.”
The cost of petrol, diesel and marked gas oil (“green diesel”) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Just over two weeks ago, the coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.
It saw an effective reduction of 17 cents for petrol, 22 cents for diesel, and five cents for green diesel – but the savings were largely eroded as the war raged on.
www.thesun.ie
THE army was called in as fuel protests around the country continued to escalate for a third day, with the Taoiseach saying they’ve gone “far beyond the pale”.
HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Government’s response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.
There are slow-moving convoys on motorways and blockades taking place on major roads in Dublin and other cities around the country.
Hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors are among protesters disrupting traffic.
Trucks continued to blockade O’Connell Street in Dublin today, with a number of new vehicles joining the protest in the capital.
Roads are closed around the city centre, including on the north and south quays, O’Connell Bridge and Westmoreland Street.
The Luas Green Line is suspended between St Stephen’s Green and Dominick, with services only operating between Broombridge and Dominick and between St Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen. Red Line services are operating normally.
Gardai have closed the M50 due to a go-slow convoy from J5 Finglas northbound, with northbound traffic directed onto the N2 outbound and traffic from the M1 directed onto the M50 southbound.
Dublin Airport has warned passengers travelling to and from the airport to allow extra time due to the protest activity and traffic disruption.
Images from the M50 today showed people walking along the hard shoulder of the motorway with suitcases in tow.
On RTE’s Liveline, a woman described scenes on the M50 as she saw people “pulling their luggage” along the road and spotted “men urinating” amid the gridlock.
She added: “I have never seen anything like this in my life.
“People are pulling their luggage trying to get to the airport on the verge of the M50.
“I mean, engines were turned off, men were urinating all along the verge.
“It was just crazy.”
Elsewhere, Dublin Bus said it is “experiencing service disruptions across the Dublin Bus network” and also said to “allow additional travel time”.
Numerous routes have been cancelled or have been given new termini due to the ongoing protest.
There are also several diversions as services seek to avoid the protest areas, which can be read on the Dublin Bus website here.
Some publicans have also warned that city centre pubs will run out of beer unless the blockades are lifted.
One staff member at O’Connell’s pub on Bachelors Walk told the Irish Independent that they were down to their last keg of Guinness at lunchtime today.
Tommy O’Brien, at The Grand Social, said nothing arrived despite today being delivery day, adding: “No delivery has come in, no delivery, no beer.
“We will be OK for today, but will we have enough for the weekend? I don’t know.
“Staff have to be paid, it is absolutely a worry. Hopefully it gets resolved in the next day or two.”
Manager of the Arlington Hotel on Bachelors Walk Mags Shannon also told the publication that beer was not being delivered.
She added: “Alcohol deliveries from the likes of Diageo and Heineken are supposed to be today, but so far, we haven’t gotten anything.
“We are a big premises and have stock, but how long we can last is a guessing game.
“We have a sister property that we have had to taxi the stock from.”
Earlier, the Defence Forces were asked to remove vehicles which had blockaded crucial infrastructure, including the Whitegate refinery in Co Cork and Shannon Foynes Port in Co Limerick.
Up to 18 heavy trucks had blocked two entrances to that facility on Thursday, while tractors also stopped container lorries from entering the Port of Cork.
Following a meeting between Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, gardai sent a C70 request, also known as ‘Aid to the Civil Power’, to the army this morning.
In a statement on Thursday morning, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said: “The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested.”
He added owners of the vehicles involved in the blockades “should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal”.
The Defence Forces confirmed they had received a request for assistance from An Garda Siochana and said because “this operation is ongoing” they would not be commenting further.
They have four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to help clear trucks and tractors involved in blockades and it is understood it is envisaged that assistance will be limited to these vehicles and the personnel required to operate them.
The Defence Forces also said images of a convoy of Mowag armoured personnel carriers circulating on social media are “the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to Unifil next month”.
This morning it was understood that some filling stations around the country have imposed buying limits to preserve fuel.
And this evening, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) said there is now “serious concern regarding” access to fuel for emergency service vehicles.
It added in a statement that supply issues may have impacts on the availability of emergency services.
An NECG sub-group has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) briefed the body that the disruption is causing people to miss scheduled medical appointments and is impacting the provision of homecare and critical care, such as dialysis and cancer treatment, to some service users.
The HSE also warned that the blockades have the potential to disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices, given that frequent and reliable transport is critical to their supply.
The NECG also said the obstruction of key access routes from ports is now threatening the provision of animal feed supplies, fertiliser and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods in the agriculture sector.
Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland also told RTE radio that the country is “heading really quickly” into emergency service vehicles not having access to fuel.
He added that it is now at the stage that “real significant life-death problems are going to be caused” if blockades of fuel terminals are not lifted.
He said protesters should think of who they are “hurting”, adding: “Do they really believe that by stopping the healthcare worker getting to work on their night shift tonight; do they really believe that by stopping families getting their shopping; do they really believe that by stopping people getting their home heating; do they really believe that threatening emergency services fuel – because it’s all the same fuel – do they really believe that that is in the best interest of the communities that they purport to represent?”
Mr McPartland said “keeping hard shoulders open is absolutely irrelevant” if emergency service vehicles do not have the fuel to drive in them.
Asked when fuel would run out at service stations, he said: “We can’t model it because we’re not having normal levels of demand – panic buying has absolutely taken hold.
“And we really need to say to people that once the fuel supply routes are reopened, we will recover this really quickly within within a day or two.
“We will be back to normal levels of supply in every forecourt in the country but if we exacerbate the problem now by panic buying, filling the car earlier or more than they would ordinarily do, they’re actually creating the problem we’re suffering from at the moment.”
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Health Service Executive chief executive Anne O’Connor earlier jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during the protests.
Ms MacNeill and Ms O’Connor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.
They said: “Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.
“Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.”
This morning, Minister for Tourism Patrick O’Donovan said there are a “very substantial number” of filling stations around the country that have run out of fuel, particularly in rural areas.
Speaking on RTE’s News at One, he said some stations have been out of fuel since early this morning.
He said: “Emergency vehicles, for instance, the ambulance service and the gardai will operate on fuel cards.
“I don’t think any thought has been put into when those tanks run dry, how is it an expectant mother supposed to get to St Munchen’s Hospital in Limerick if her waters break.”
He added that there are fuel issues all over the world due to the war in Iran.
But he said: “The issue with regard to fuel in Ireland at the moment, with forecourts being closed all over county Limerick and a queue a mile long outside my own constituency office, doesn’t relate to the Strait of Hormuz.
“It relates to a distribution problem, where we have Whitegate, Foynes, Galway and other fuel depots around the country being blockaded.”
Meanwhile, Micheal Martin told RTE he did not “anticipate” there would be violence if the army and gardai moved in on demonstrators.
The Taoiseach said it is “not in our nature to be engineering any situation that gives rise to conflict”.
Mr Martin said “the Government had to act” once the Whitegate oil refinery and the Foynes fuel terminal were blocked.
Defence Minister Helen McEntee told reporters at the Curragh Camp that the Defence Forces intervention was “never a first resort”.
However, she said: “It cannot be the case that individuals decide that they are going to blockade parts of the country and stop people from going about their business.
“That they’re going to essentially put other businesses out of business now because of their actions, that farmers are potentially going to put animals at risk because of their actions, and that people aren’t able to get to hospital appointments.
“So, as the Government, we have to take firm steps.”
In a statement to the media at Garda headquarters in Dublin, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon said gardai are now “moving to an enforcement phase” unless protesters “desist and disperse”.
She added: “An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.”
The protesters say they have nominated “three or four” spokespeople they want to meet Government leaders.
However, speaking on RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland show, one of them, John Dallon said he does not speak for the protesters blocking fuel depots: “I’m here on the streets of Dublin, I have no voice as regards what’s happening down the country as regards blocking up ports.”
He added: “What’s happening down there is out of my hands, I have no control over what happens.”
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said he would meet with farming and haulier representative groups but would not speak to the protesters.
He said: “What is very clear here is that this is a clear choice between democracy or anarchy, and we have a rule of law in this country.
“I completely understand where people’s frustration is from in terms of (the) very high energy shock as a result of the war that has broken out between America, Israel and Iran.”
Asked specifically about the carbon tax, which some protesters have suggested should be abolished, Mr Heydon said: “Undermining the overall economy is not in the best interest of the public at this time, where we’re facing a very uncertain geopolitical future.
“So that’s why people have to trust that the Government, while working with all the representative bodies, is doing everything it can within the scope of the tools available to us and will continue to examine the opportunities further for us.”
Other coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.
Minister O’Callaghan also said fuel protesters are being “manipulated” by “outside actors”.
Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim O’Callaghan said “when you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes”.
He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was “referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures”.
“So I think we need to recognise that people are being manipulated here, and we need to bring an end to these protests.”
The cost of petrol, diesel and marked gas oil (“green diesel”) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Just over two weeks ago, the coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.
It saw an effective reduction of 17 cents for petrol, 22 cents for diesel, and five cents for green diesel – but the savings were largely eroded as the war raged on.
Fuel protests latest as people walk to airport, pub beer fear and army called in
THE army was called in as fuel protests around the country continued to escalate for a third day, with the Taoiseach saying they’ve gone “far beyond the pale”. HGV and tractor dri…
www.thesun.ie
bluelady
Veteran Member
Son lives on the outskirts of Dublin, west of Phoenix Park. He said things are great there; all the craziness is in the city. But then he's a glass-half-full guy who just gets on with his life without letting things bother him.
He's going to get his Irish motorcycle license, which seems like a wise plan. He wants to eventually live on a sailboat. . .LOL!
He's going to get his Irish motorcycle license, which seems like a wise plan. He wants to eventually live on a sailboat. . .LOL!
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Both are great plans
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Allegedly the Irish Defence Forces refused to deploy.
Short
Huge thank you to the officers of the Defence Forces and the Army for standing with the Irish people
View: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/_gJljeHgI3g
Short
Huge thank you to the officers of the Defence Forces and the Army for standing with the Irish people
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Yes but in true Irish fashion they refused to deploy so they could keep it for themselves , it makes me proud
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
OUT OF GUINNESS !!
( I am not minimizing the fuel problem - I hope government backs down and reduces the taxes )
Murphys is better anyway
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
So which will be the next country to mount protests.
The English are watching with interest, the French no doubt are feeling left out, the Italians , the Greeks.
Be great to see the Germans stand up for themselves.
The English are watching with interest, the French no doubt are feeling left out, the Italians , the Greeks.
Be great to see the Germans stand up for themselves.
Hognutz
TB Fanatic
Hognutz
TB Fanatic
R/T 7sec
View: https://twitter.com/cilcomlfc/status/2042367217598185645?s=61
BREAKING: Police cars are now running out of fuel across Ireland as anti-Government protesters refuse to let officers refuel their vehicles.
Policemen have been forced to push their cars off roads and call for backup.
This is what happens when you betray your citizens!
View: https://twitter.com/cilcomlfc/status/2042367217598185645?s=61
BREAKING: Police cars are now running out of fuel across Ireland as anti-Government protesters refuse to let officers refuel their vehicles.
Policemen have been forced to push their cars off roads and call for backup.
This is what happens when you betray your citizens!
Taco Salad
Senior Member
Look at your jug of oil. There are 3.7 liters to the US gallon.For metric challanged Americans converting Liter to U.S. Quart and vice versa: 1 liter = 1.06 U.S. quarts, 1 U.S. quart = 0.946 liters
So the easy quick rounding conversion is basically ONE LITER = ONE U.S. QUART
FOUR liters = ONE U.S. gallon
The U.S. was "supposed" to convert over to metric starting in the 70's....but being "Americans" we didn't. Well, mostly. Medicine and much of the military did, but civilians essentially didn't. It's a shame, but it is - what it is.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Breakthrough' in talks with fuel protesters and government
Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time on Thursday night, fuel protest organiser James Geoghegan said there has been "good news tonight" and a "breakthrough" in talks.
He said there will be talks with Government at around 2pm on Friday with the IFA and the official hauliers' association also in attendance along with protest organisers.
He said "in the last few minutes" protesters were pulled off O'Connell Bridge and that kerosene oil has been released from the refineries.
Mr Geoghegan said there will be further disruption tomorrow morning and protesters will be entering Government talks with a "list of demands".
"It's a list of very reasonable demands, we're all mostly self employed people and we can't take the hits that have been put on us," he said.
"Our country needs our own oil and our own security for oil, it's there in the sea, bring it in and use it. We have an ocean full of oil that we don't tap.
"The reality is we actually can't afford to go home. It's as simple as that. My oil bill this year in my business is up €70,000. I can't afford to pay it."
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon and Minister of State Timmy Dooley had been due to meet representative bodies such as the Irish Road Haulage Association and the Irish Farmers’ Association.
However, asked about Mr Geoghegan’s comments on the same programme, Mr Dooley said his understanding was that he was to meet representative bodies and he had “no knowledge” of whether protest representatives would be attending a meeting.
Marthanoir
TB Fanatic
Govt to introduce package of measures TODAY as Minister confirms ‘response’ to rising prices amid fuel protest chaos.
A MINISTER has confirmed the Government will introduce a package of measures to reduce inflation today.
Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said there would be a “response” to rising prices since the outset of war in Iran.
The move comes after thousands of people launched a series of protests against the country this week, with slow-moving convoys on motorways turning into blockades in Dublin and at fuel depots in Limerick and Galway.
Speaking on RTE’s Today With David McCullagh, Burke said: “Hopefully today we will have news on that.
“I do believe we will have news on that, in terms of an intervention that will reduce inflation, that will try and reduce the price of groceries on the shelves for our consumers, for vulnerable people buying them”.
Burke also said the Tanaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris is working with EU colleagues for “flexibility” on excise duty rules.
He said European directives limit how much excise duty can be reduced and Ireland would need permission to go below those thresholds.
Burke added that there may be “state aid implications” for other measures the government is looking at to help the haulage and agriculture sectors and said the Tanaiste is “working, navigating through those barriers, trying to ensure that we do get a package”.
Asked if the measures are a response to the protests, Burke said the Government had been working on them for “a couple of weeks”.
He said the Government is engaging with “representative groups” and going through “normal channels”, adding: “If we go away from the constituted channels, then you go to anarchy.”
Burke also criticised some of the demands of the protesters, saying if a price cap on fuel was introduced it would be a “wrecking ball to our public finances”.
He said a cap of 170 cent on diesel and 90 cent on “green diesel” would cost “billions of euro”.
He added: “Are people aware of the cost of that? That is billions of euros, no state could sustain that into the future.”
A meeting between several ministers and 10 farming, haulier and business groups is to take place this afternoon.
Although it is understood there are no fuel protesters on the list of attendees, protesters have suggested they were invited to the “breakthrough” meeting.
But despite the protesters saying demonstrations would be lifted once government met with them, spokesman James Geoghegan said they would continue.
He said they want the carbon tax on green diesel to be removed and the price of fuel to be capped.
He said Fianna Fail TD for Galway West John Connelly invited them to attend Leinster House on Friday, and that he, spokesman John Dallon and a group of protesters from Galway would attend.
Connelly rang into Newstalk radio while on a train to say he had not invited him to the meeting, and that he had advised them to talk to the Irish Road Haulage Association, which is among the groups the meeting with government.
The protesters had also added to their list of demands: along with the removal of the carbon tax from green diesel and the price of fuel to be capped, they want oil exploration off the west coast of Ireland to begin and the Irish parliament to be recalled on Friday.
Geoghegan said: “One of the main demands is that the laws that (former Green Party leader and minister) Eamon Ryan passed to close down any exploration of oil off the west coast of Ireland.
“Because we have been contacted by exploration companies who have told us how much oil is off the west coast of Ireland, and it was Eamon Ryan who knocked it on the head, that has to be looked at again now, and revisited for the good of the nation.
“There’s not much point in Eamon Ryan talking about being environment friendly and we’re waiting for oil to come up from the Strait of Hormuz for six weeks and we have an ocean of it off the west coast of Ireland.”
He added that it must be “rubber stamped” that the Dail is recalled this evening or tonight.
Geoghegan added: “It’s not over yet for the simple reason we don’t trust the government at this stage.
“We had several meetings yesterday, we had several meetings during the night, we had several meetings this morning – I got, I think, two hours sleep last night – and the word coming back from the ground is after the way Micheal Martin disrespected everyone, he is not to be trusted ever again.
“We have actually reduced the protest, we are allowing out more fuel today, we have lifted some of the blockades off the ports.”
Meanwhile, 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 RTE’s Morning Ireland, 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.”
www.thesun.ie
A MINISTER has confirmed the Government will introduce a package of measures to reduce inflation today.
Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said there would be a “response” to rising prices since the outset of war in Iran.
The move comes after thousands of people launched a series of protests against the country this week, with slow-moving convoys on motorways turning into blockades in Dublin and at fuel depots in Limerick and Galway.
Speaking on RTE’s Today With David McCullagh, Burke said: “Hopefully today we will have news on that.
“I do believe we will have news on that, in terms of an intervention that will reduce inflation, that will try and reduce the price of groceries on the shelves for our consumers, for vulnerable people buying them”.
Burke also said the Tanaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris is working with EU colleagues for “flexibility” on excise duty rules.
He said European directives limit how much excise duty can be reduced and Ireland would need permission to go below those thresholds.
Burke added that there may be “state aid implications” for other measures the government is looking at to help the haulage and agriculture sectors and said the Tanaiste is “working, navigating through those barriers, trying to ensure that we do get a package”.
Asked if the measures are a response to the protests, Burke said the Government had been working on them for “a couple of weeks”.
He said the Government is engaging with “representative groups” and going through “normal channels”, adding: “If we go away from the constituted channels, then you go to anarchy.”
Burke also criticised some of the demands of the protesters, saying if a price cap on fuel was introduced it would be a “wrecking ball to our public finances”.
He said a cap of 170 cent on diesel and 90 cent on “green diesel” would cost “billions of euro”.
He added: “Are people aware of the cost of that? That is billions of euros, no state could sustain that into the future.”
A meeting between several ministers and 10 farming, haulier and business groups is to take place this afternoon.
Although it is understood there are no fuel protesters on the list of attendees, protesters have suggested they were invited to the “breakthrough” meeting.
But despite the protesters saying demonstrations would be lifted once government met with them, spokesman James Geoghegan said they would continue.
He said they want the carbon tax on green diesel to be removed and the price of fuel to be capped.
He said Fianna Fail TD for Galway West John Connelly invited them to attend Leinster House on Friday, and that he, spokesman John Dallon and a group of protesters from Galway would attend.
Connelly rang into Newstalk radio while on a train to say he had not invited him to the meeting, and that he had advised them to talk to the Irish Road Haulage Association, which is among the groups the meeting with government.
The protesters had also added to their list of demands: along with the removal of the carbon tax from green diesel and the price of fuel to be capped, they want oil exploration off the west coast of Ireland to begin and the Irish parliament to be recalled on Friday.
Geoghegan said: “One of the main demands is that the laws that (former Green Party leader and minister) Eamon Ryan passed to close down any exploration of oil off the west coast of Ireland.
“Because we have been contacted by exploration companies who have told us how much oil is off the west coast of Ireland, and it was Eamon Ryan who knocked it on the head, that has to be looked at again now, and revisited for the good of the nation.
“There’s not much point in Eamon Ryan talking about being environment friendly and we’re waiting for oil to come up from the Strait of Hormuz for six weeks and we have an ocean of it off the west coast of Ireland.”
He added that it must be “rubber stamped” that the Dail is recalled this evening or tonight.
Geoghegan added: “It’s not over yet for the simple reason we don’t trust the government at this stage.
“We had several meetings yesterday, we had several meetings during the night, we had several meetings this morning – I got, I think, two hours sleep last night – and the word coming back from the ground is after the way Micheal Martin disrespected everyone, he is not to be trusted ever again.
“We have actually reduced the protest, we are allowing out more fuel today, we have lifted some of the blockades off the ports.”
Meanwhile, 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 RTE’s Morning Ireland, 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.”
Govt to introduce measures tackling inflation TODAY amid fuel protest chaos
A MINISTER has confirmed the Government will introduce a package of measures to reduce inflation today. Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said there would be a “response” to rising prices…
www.thesun.ie