Fuel protests continue across Cork on Monday

Fuel protests  continued across Cork on Monday morning as protesters said the Government supports announced on Sunday evening bring no relief to those impacted.

The nationwide fuel protest has entered its seventh day, with several slow-moving convoys observed across the county in the areas of Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy, Ballincollig, Glanmire, Bandon, Midleton, Mallow, Youghal, and Macroom.

Today’s protests come following the convention of an emergency Cabinet meeting on Sunday, which resulted in further reductions to mineral oil tax rates, seeing petrol and diesel reduced by 10c per litre and green diesel reduced by 2.4c per litre, the increase in carbon tax postponed until October, the announcement of an enhanced transport support scheme for haulage operators, local links and school transport providers, and the introduction of a fuel subsidy support scheme for farming and fisheries.

Speaking to The Echo, contractor Finbarr O’Mahony, who was among protesters at Shannonpark Roundabout in Ringaskiddy on Monday morning said there is “no point” in introducing these measures.

“We had a hard week last week, everybody protesting all over the country had a hard week last week, standing out day and night,” said Mr O’Mahony.

“I don’t know who's fighting for who anymore. It’s worse it’s getting.

“There isn’t much point in giving the hauliers 10c, including Vat and giving us 2.4c, including Vat, because the price of diesel has gone up about 25c a litre since we started this protest last week.” 

A protester, who wished to remain anonymous, who was among those blockading the Irving Oil Refinery in Whitegate last week, said the newly announced supports are not “next to near enough”.

“I don’t think anybody is happy with the Government’s announcement yesterday,” the protester said.

“I depend on trawlers for catching fish, they were offered the 2.4c per litre reduction, but that’s not a drop in the ocean for what’s needed.

“I don’t think it’s next to near enough — I don’t think anybody is happy.

“Other European countries have capped their fuel, so I don’t see why we don’t have something like that too.

“I don’t know if protests are going to continue, I don’t know what it’s going to achieve.” 

While the blockade at the Whitegate refinery has since been stood down, the protester said that despite things becoming “a bit heavy” over the weekend, with gardaí arresting and pepper-spraying protesters, members of the public continue to show their support.

“We’ve gone from such a high from protesting to such a lull now,” he said.

“It did get a bit heavy down there on Saturday afternoon, but we could do no more.

“Whether it’s all going to kick off again, I have no idea — nobody wanted to be down there protesting but something had to be done.

“We did see such a great show of humanity when we were down there, people could see that it was short-term pain for long-term gain.” 

 Despite the standing down of the blockade in East Cork, dozens of petrol stations across the county remain without fuel, with several others introducing limits on consumption for customers attending the stations.

According to Fuel Status Ireland, stations in Cork currently operating with fuel consumption limits include the Mallow N20 Plaza, Circle K in Ballincollig, Circle K Express at the Marina, the Castle Road Filling Station in Blackrock, Circle K Express Blarney, the Christy Lucey Services Station in Macroom, and Circle K Douglas.

Last night, Garda commissioner Justin Kelly announced a 24-hour extension of the force’s ‘exceptional event’ status, meaning all gardaí who were due to have rest days are expected to continue working until Tuesday night due to the ongoing protests.

“The exceptional event is still in effect at this time,” a garda spokesperson confirmed.

“For operational reasons, we are unable to provide specific details regarding these matters.” 

 The extension comes as gardaí arrested five people at a protest on Grand Parade yesterday evening, including four males aged between their 30s and 50s, and one female in her 40s, under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

The protesters were taken to a Garda station in Cork City and were later released, having been charged to appear before Cork District Court in the coming weeks.