Slow-moving protests have been reported across the country this morning, as protestors have vowed to keep going as the Government announced that petrol and diesel is to fall by 10 cent a litre from today.
The Coalition’s €500 million intervention has been sharply criticised by many hauliers and farmers as insufficient, with protests continuing into a seventh day.
Christopher Duffy, spokesperson for the protestors in Dublin, called for a national day of strike and protest in a social media statement on Sunday night.
“They [the authorities] went too far,” he said, shortly before the Government’s fuel supports was announced.
Meanwhile, another prominent spokesperson for the nationwide fuel protests said he does not know if the Government’s package of measures will be enough to halt demonstrations.
John Dallon told Newstalk Breakfast on Monday that he has “no control” over the situation, adding that he “doesn’t know what’s happening out there.”
“Now, that’s being straight up, the people themselves – the protest is all about the economy.
“Nobody has any control over it this morning.”
Mr Dallon, who has accused the Government of not waning to listen to ordinary workers, said that fuel protesters had been repeatedly disrespected.
“I was going to a meeting the other day up in Ag House, we were being welcomed in. Then we weren’t being welcomed in, then we went up, the doors were shut on our faces,” he said.
Rejecting the idea that fuel protestors are holding the country, he said it was the “Government themselves [that] are holding the country to ransom”.
“This protest is out of my hands,” he said. “It escalated to something so big and I don’t know where it’s going to end – but it’s the Government’s fault. Look, we achieved something small, but this is something way bigger now that I have no control over it,” he said.
On Sunday evening, MMA fighter Conor McGregor took to X to say that protestors would be “shutting down hard” as he called for a national strike to take place on Monday.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our fuel protestors, farmers, truckers, hauliers, and all the hard working Irish that have been left without so much as a hope of survival under this tyrannical government reign,” said Mr McGregor in a post which has racked up almost one million views:
Transport Infrastructure Ireland saying on Monday morning that there will be some road closures on motorways on Monday over protests.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland before 9am, Communications Director of TII Sean O’Neill said “we do have some closures now”.
Mr O’Neill said that delays and disruption caused by ongoing fuel protests are nowhere near the levels seen last week.
He said there is a full road closure on the M9 at Junction 3, while on the M1 southbound, there is currently conjunction between Junction 12 and Junction 9.
“So that’s Dunleer and Drogheda. And that’s a go-slow. There’s people protesting there. And then on the M3, we have a full closure now. It wasn’t fully closed earlier today,” he noted.
“And that is between Kells Junction 11 southbound and Junction 9 in Navan southbound. But the road is fully closed now, in both directions,” he said.
“On the M7, we had a go-slow movement going on into Long Mile Road. The gardaí have managed to pull them around and bring them back out, but it did cause significant congestion this morning. We just don’t know where that will evolve.”
“And then on the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy, there’s a go slow going on down there.”
People have been informed that it is an evolving situation, as he appealed to commuters to keep the hard shoulder open.
“It’s for emergency vehicles and emergency trips. Whatever your actions are on the motorway network, please keep those open because it’s just unacceptable. People need those and it’s for emergency needs,” Mr O’Neill added.
In an update this morning, TII said that the M3/N3 between J11 and Kells and J09 – Navan direction southbound – is closed, with significant delays expected to occur.
In Cork, fuel protests began on Monday in Carriglane-Ringaskiddy, with the convoy told that tractors would be seized if roads were stopped or blocked.
The road from Middleton to Cork was also the scene of a rolling protest this morning.
Delays have been reported on the M50 Southbound, with delays on routes across Dublin, including the N3 S, M4, N4 E, N7 E, M11 / N11 N. The M1 southbound at Drogheda was reported as being brought to a standstill earlier this morning,
Those planning to use the roads can get further live updates on traffic.tii.ie.