Fuel protest organiser James Geoghegan has said a “breakthrough” has been reached, confirming a meeting with the Government today as disruption continues across Dublin. However, uncertainty remains around whether this meeting will proceed.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time programme last night, Geoghegan said he had received a call confirming that protest groups would meet Government representatives in Government Buildings this afternoon, adding that multiple organisations would be involved.
He said the meeting would take place at around 2pm or 2:30pm, describing it as a significant development following several days of demonstrations.
“We have good news tonight, we have a breakthrough,” he said.
“I got a phone call tonight so we have a meeting in government buildings tomorrow at 2 o’clock or 2:30 I think.”
Geoghegan said that a number of representative bodies would be present at the talks, alongside protest organisers.
“There’s other groups going in as well, all the organisations have been called in, so it’s going to be a quite large group meeting with the government,” he said.
“Like the IFA and FCR and Road Hauliers Association.”
He also said that some protest actions had already been eased ahead of the meeting, including the lifting of certain fuel-related blockades.
“Already tonight, in the last 15 minutes, we have pulled in the protest off O’Connell Bridge,” he said.
“And we have released the kerosene oil from the refineries.”
He said the decision had been taken to avoid disruption to essential services.
“So the word has gone down to lift the blockades off kerosene in case of people running out of heating oil or hospitals running out of heating oil or whatever.”
However, Geoghegan indicated that disruption would continue in the short term, as organisers prepare to present their demands.
“There will be, definitely will be, because we have a list of demands going into the government tomorrow,” he said.
“A list of very reasonable demands, and it’s a list of demands that we actually need to keep the country running because the businesses that are going out of business is just frightening.”
He said the group would seek measures including caps on fuel prices and changes to existing taxes.
“We might have one demand beyond that, and we would be actually looking for the government to go back and look at the Barryroe oil field to open it up so we should produce our own oil,” he said.
“We’ve an ocean full of oil that we don’t tap. I think it was [former Climate Minister] Eamon Ryan that had it locked down, but our country needs our own oil and our own security for oil.”
Geoghegan also said that rising costs had placed significant pressure on small businesses, citing his own experience.
“The reality is we actually can’t afford to go home,” he said.
“My tax bill, my oil bill this year in my business, which is a quite small business, is up €70,000.”
He said carbon tax costs were a particular issue for his business.
“And the carbon tax is on agricultural diesel when we have no option,” he said.
“We can’t avoid paying it. And in my business this year, my carbon tax bill is €21,000.
“Let Micheal Martin write a cheque for €21,000 and see how he feels about it, because he’s forcing me to pay it – why should I pay it?”
However, there has been some uncertainty as to whether the fuel protestors will be able to participate in the meeting after all.
The protests have entered another day, with disruption continuing across Dublin on Friday, affecting public transport services and major routes.
As reported by Gript on Thursday, the Government confirmed that the Defence Forces had been requested to assist An Garda Síochána in removing vehicles blocking critical infrastructure.
Transport services, including Dublin Bus and Luas, have experienced cancellations and route changes due to the demonstrations, while traffic delays have been reported on key routes into the capital.
Senior Government figures have criticised the blockades, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin describing the disruption to fuel infrastructure as an “act of national sabotage”, and other Ministers warning that access to essential supplies must be maintained or that there could be legal penalties.
The protests have centred on demands for changes to fuel-related taxes and costs, with demonstrators citing financial pressure on businesses and households amid the Iran war.