As the national fuel protests enter their fifth day, organisers have asked that supporters “stand with us” on O’Connell Street, Dublin, today, particularly at 1 pm.
As the blockades continue, amid growing threats from the government who are calling on the protesters to stand down, some of those involved have said that they are ready to put the city into “full lockdown” apart from emergency services and blood banks.
Cllr. Tom McDonnell said, “Our message to the country is that we need to support each other because everyone is suffering because of fuel taxes and the impact on cost of living. It’s not just farmers and contractors, it’s the mothers struggling to pay for the shopping every week, and elderly people afraid to turn on heating, it’s all of us. We need to stand together.”
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has said that the protests are an “exceptional event” as reports of water cannons being deployed circulate.
Cllr McDonnell further commented that, “People can’t take this anymore, ordinary people are really suffering, and the government is totally out of touch.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris said, “The protest, the blockade, needs to end,” and that some of the actions taken were “illegal”.
A meeting at the Department of Agriculture buildings, which commenced yesterday after 2 pm, is set to convene again today at 1 pm; however,there was dismay at a number of protest figureheads, such as agricultural contractor Christopher (Chris) Duffy and farmer John Dallon, being barred from attending.
Both men said that they were given to understand that they would be included in the meeting with government buildings, but were turned away.
Yesterday, speaking outside the Department of Agriculture, Duffy said, “Nothing has changed,”, adding, “more taxpayers’ money was wasted in there today.”
He said that it was “absolutely appalling” that the people “in there” [government representatives] were “being paid” while there was “nothing for the people”.
“There’s thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of Irish farmers, truckers, business people, builders” in this country who are “absolutely frustrated” he said, adding “they don’t know if they’re going to be in business in a few months time”.
He said that a “serious reduction in our costs” was needed to bring the protests to an end, “because we have nothing left to lose”.
“There’s trucks and tractors sitting around this country that we can’t afford to use,” he added.
A small fuel retailer on O’Connell Street told Gript that he and many others had been driven into a corner by the refusal of the government to adequately engage with those protesting.. “All they care about is the EU,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter to them if our businesses go to the wall or our kids emigrate. People feel desperate and angry, and that just became this overnight movement that isn’t afraid of politicians condemning us or of what RTE thinks”.
“We’d all rather be at home with our families, but we’re going nowhere or they’ll have no future,” he said. “The TDs are totally out of touch with the people, they just keep saying the country is doing great when people are worried sick re bills and cost of living and housing. They are in a bubble and they don’t want to come out”. He said.
Gript’s Niamh Uí Bhriain put it to him that Micheál Martin has said that “businesses and people’s livelihoods depend on this fuel”.
“Isn’t that the point we are making?” he replied. “We can’t survive while the government lashes on tax after tax when fuel is sky-high. The carbon tax has to go.”
Independent Ireland TD, Richard O’Donoghue, said that five loads of fuel were allowed to pass the protest at Foynes Port “destined for stations for front line services & vulnerable people”.