“Democracy cannot be dictated to by an unelected group whose actions are now damaging the Irish public”, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has said after meeting with senior gardaí responsible for policing the ongoing fuel protests across the country.
Minister O’Callaghan said after visiting the Garda Control Centre that “while Government respects the right to protest, that right must be exercised lawfully and must respect the rights of others to earn a livelihood or to move freely”.
“Government is well aware of the pressures on people from increased fuel costs, but democracy cannot be dictated to by an unelected group whose actions are now damaging the Irish public,” he said.
The minister said that he informed the gardaí that it is essential that ports and fuel depots “remain open and fully accessible”.
“No one is above the law and those breaking the law should know that there are consequences for unlawful activity,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
His comments come after gardaí issued a statement addressing the ongoing protests, saying that while they have been peaceful, “they are causing significant disruption for people in some parts of the country”.
“We in An Garda Síochána have received reports of emergency workers being delayed or not being able to travel to their work, of people not being able to attend hospital appointments or visit loved ones who are ill.
“Key public transports routes are also delayed or not operating, which means that employees and businesses are heavily impacted. A small number of fuel depots are also being blocked,” a garda spokesperson said.
Echoing Minister O’Callaghan, the spokesperson said that while gardaí “respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest”, they must “balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and commercial organisations to conduct business”.
Gardaí say they have received reports of the blocking of diversion routes put in place to facilitate travel around protests, and requested that protestors “engage with gardaí locally to facilitate important diversion and emergency routes”.
The statements come as transport and travel service providers across the country warn of disruption and delay on major thoroughfares, including in Dublin city centre.
The protests are continuing for a second day, following similar disruption on major routes across the country yesterday, when convoys slowed traffic on key national roads.
Protestors are calling for reduction in Government taxes on fuel – in particular, carbon tax – as the war in Iran causes global energy prices to surge.