Political party leaders and representatives have slammed the government for its decision to deploy the Defence Forces to disperse fuel protesters from around the country, calling it “madness”, “insanity”, and “an act of political aggression”.
Earlier today, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said that “The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested.”
He added, “Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed. Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.”
In response to the move, Aontú party leader, Peader Tóibín, has called the decision “madness”.
“It is madness for the government to call in the Army before trying every peaceful avenue possible to bring this protest to an end. It is incredible how obtuse and thick-headed this government is that they won’t even speak to representatives of the protests. My understanding is that this protest will stand down immediately if the government simply call them and organise a meeting.” he said.
“It is shocking to think that the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste are going to introduce a Trumpian strategy that could potentially lead to violence on our streets and yet this government will not at least try to talk to these protestors,” he said.
The National Party was also sharply critical, saying: “This is not some foreign agitation: these are our own people; farmers, truckers, workers, parents and small business owners crushed by energy costs, mass immigration and a government that has lost touch with the nation.”
Cllr Patrick Quinlan said that the protestors were not blocking depots “out of malice but because the system has left them with no other way to be heard.”
He said sending Irish soldiers to drag protestors off the roads “is not ‘restoring order’ but ‘an unprecedented act of political desperation and aggression by a government who has lost touch with the Irish nation it claims to serve.”
People Before Profit TD, Paul Murphy, said, “The threat to use Defence Forces against protesters is extremely worrying. It should be withdrawn. People have a right to protest without the army being sent against them. This will create a dangerous precedent that will be used against other protesters in future.”
Independent Ireland called the move a “deeply concerning development” saying that the government chose to “call in the army rather and pick up the phone and engage with those affected”.
“This crisis did not emerge overnight, yet the response from the Government has been consistently tone deaf — refusing to listen and refusing to meaningfully engage with the thousands of businesses impacted by their tax policies. Independent Ireland have called for debate on this issue for weeks, having written to the Ceann Comhairle and called on the Government to recall the Dail but the Government refused to act,” it said.
While acknowledging that “disruption and delays” were undesirable, it said that elected representatives “from a number of parties have already engaged on the ground, and there is clearly scope for mediation between protestors and Government.”
Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, condemned the decision, describing it as “a reckless escalation that will only further deepen the crisis.”
“This move will not only inflame the situation further, but it also totally misjudges the depth of public and business anger that is out there, despite the clearly acknowledged sense of frustration that many people have around the disruptions that are being caused,” said Deputy Nolan.
“The frustration among ordinary consumers, drivers, businesses and farmers is at boiling point. Government must demonstrate a determined resolve to heed the sense of desperation that is out there and put the needs of our own people first by engaging in dialogue,” she said.
In further comment, Peadar Tóibín said that the government “will meet with everyone but those who are protesting”, saying “this shows how dysfunctional the Irish political system is.”
He said that although the protestors may not be members of a “registered representative body with a clear mandate, that “they are citizens whose taxes” pay the wages of TDs”.
“Their ask is not unreasonable in terms of the price of fuel. Petrol is €1.55, and diesel is €1.77 in Spain. The Irish government takes 60% of the price of a litre of fuel in taxation. The government collected €4.3bn in fuel tax last year. They collected €1.17bn in Carbon Tax last year. The government has room for manoeuvre,” he said.
The National Party said that “Irish people are being priced out of their own lives and instead of slashing fuel costs, cutting tax waste, defunding anti-Irish NGOs, and putting Ireland and her people first, they choose confrontation and smear.”
“We demand an immediate reversal of this reckless escalation”, the party said, adding that it was “demanding that the government put Irish jobs and Irish families first.”
Deputy Nolan said that government figures “need to take off their ministerial hats and talk to these people as constituents and citizens, not paint them as social pariahs.”
“I find it deeply frustrating to see that Government can literally commit €840 million to overseas development aid, sign effective blank cheques for Ukraine, spend billions accommodating economic migrants who are abusing the international protection system, and yet when its own people come knocking, they are told the well is dry and all they will get is the army removing them from streets.”
“These protests are the logical endpoint of a punitive tax regime that has bled hauliers, drivers, households and farmers and others dry for years. It must be fundamentally reformed, most notably around the carbon tax.”
Sending in the Army is a dangerous miscalculation. People are not blocking fuel depots for fun. This is not student union politics or theatrics. They are doing so because they can no longer afford to run their businesses, heat their homes or put food on the table.”
“The Government needs to wake up, come to the table and deliver real, immediate relief on fuel costs and taxes instead of treating its own citizens as the enemy,” Deputy Nolan concluded.