Routes and times for Thursday's fuel protests as more traffic disruption expected

Sarah Slater and Ellen O'Donoghue

Gardaí have been notified in advance of Thursday’s nationwide fuel protest by organisers of the planned convoy routes and meeting points across the country.

Organisers have asked that everyone protest safely and respectfully, and to keep all emergency routes and hard shoulders clear at all times.

The main protest locations and times involve Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Cork, Portlaoise, Tullamore, Portumna, Banagher Bridge, Athlone and surrounding counties.

The protests have resulted in nationwide traffic disruption over the last several days, with protesters causing gridlock around Dublin city centre for a second day on Wednesday over rising fuel costs caused by the war in Iran.

Several tractors were parked along O’Connell Street and buses were abandoned on O’Connell Bridge on Wednesday, as farmers and other fuel-dependent workers blocked the busy routes.

Protesters have called for a cap on kerosene and diesel, and for the carbon tax and excise duty to be removed for an interim period.

On Thursday in Dublin and Leinster, meetings are planned at Kinnegad Plaza between 7am and 7.30am, M7 Junction 14 Monasterevin at 7am, Navan Retail Park to move off at 7.30am, M1 Castle Bellingham at 7am, and the N11 Southside/Wicklow feeder to gather at 7am and roll towards Dublin.

The main Portlaoise and Tullamore town gatherings are to meet in their respective towns at 7am to move off at 7.30am.

In Portumna/Banagher Bridge a high visibility rolling protest over the Shannon crossing is to meet at 6am and roll slowly and peacefully from 6.30am with county feeder support from Galway/Loughrea, Tupperary, the Offaly/Birr side, Ballinasloe/Laurencetown and Banagher.

In Athlone and the Midlands, a meeting is planned on the M6 between Junctions 7 and 8 at 7am to move off from 7.30am.

There will also be a gathering in Waterford City, with feeder routes from Dungarvan, Cappoquin, Lismore, Kilmacthomas, Ferrybank, New Ross, Campile, Mooncoin, Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel.

In Wexford, a gathering is planned at 7am at the N11/N25 Ballindinas New Ross Road roundabout to move off at 7.30am.

In Sligo, plans are to meet at the N4/N15 interchange at 7.30am for a rolling move from 8am.

Plans in Donegal are to meet at the Tesco car park on the Port Road in Letterkenny at 6am to move off from 6.15am.

In Clare, vehicles are to meet at the Banner Plaza on Junction 12 of the M18 at 7am, to depart at 7.30am.

In Limerick, groups from Beary's Cross, Daly's Cross, Croom and Bunratty Village are all to feed into the rolling route from Junction 29 on the M7 to Junction 2 on the N18.

There are to also be vehicles coming from Midleton, Watergrasshill, Ballincollig, Mallow, Macroom, Clonakilty, Ballyhooly and surrounding areas.

In a social media post, organisers said, "If you are not in a truck, van, tractor, or convoy vehicle, please come out safely, stand shoulder to shoulder with us, wave your Irish flags, and support the people of Ireland".