Claims Government ‘warned weeks in advance’ as Tipperary fuel protests enter fourth day
As the fuel protests continue across Tipperary for a fourth day, claims have been made that the Government were warned about the potential for the strikes to take place almost two weeks ago.
Roads across Tipperary remain closed on Friday, including the N24 outside Cahir and the M8 motorway at Cashel, as protesters call on the Government to lower the price of fuel.
Filling stations around the county have begun to run dry of petrol and diesel supplies, with some imposing a cap on the amount of fuel people can buy.
At the protest in Cashel, independent councillor Liam Browne said that he had been given a copy of a letter, sent to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Ger Hyland, leader of the Irish Road Haulers Association (IRHA) almost two weeks ago, calling for a meeting with the Government.
"The Government knew the fuel protests were going to take place, and did nothing,” Cllr Browne hit out.
The letter, sent by the Irish Haulage Farming Construction Contractors Amalgamation (IHFCCA), is dated March 30, and asked the Government to meet with the group to address their concerns.
"A group of concerned people from different sectors in haulage, farming, construction, contractors, bus operators, own haulage operators and fishing came together at a meeting in Portlaoise,” the letter states.
"A clear message came from the meeting. All sectors were not happy with the Government’s response to the fuel crisis and a lot of business people felt left out.
"People are extremely worried as to what the future holds and what the Government’s response is going to be to this crisis,” they added.
The group said that arising from the meeting, they would seek to arrange a meeting with the Government to discuss these concerns, and added that the mental health of people working in the transport, farming and construction sector was under serious pressure because of the increases in the cost of fuel.
"The frustration and annoyance at the meeting was astonishing and frightening. Peoples’ mental health and livelihoods are under serious threat,” the group said.
The IHFCCA asked that the prices of fuel be capped at €1.85 per litre of diesel, and €1.10 per litre of kerosene, and that the carbon tax on fuel be suspended temporarily until global fuel prices started to stabilise.
The group also asked that hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – a more eco-friendly alternative to diesel – be put on parity as other fuels to incentivise its use in an attempt to meet carbon emissions targets.
In response to the letter, Cllr Browne said that the inaction of the Government to meet the IHFCCA has led to the protests and the widespread disruption on roads across Tipperary.
"Everyone in the country needs to know, what was in that letter, and how the inaction since has caused the protests that are now ongoing,” he said.
"Almost two weeks ago, a letter outlining concerns raised by representatives from the haulage, farming, construction, transport and related sectors was sent to the Tánaiste.
"According to the group, no response has yet been received. They have explained that, if engagement had taken place earlier, the recent public demonstrations may not have occurred,” Cllr Browne added.
Speaking yesterday, Micheál Martin said that the Government would not engage with people who “put a gun” to the head of the Government.
"We have no issue with protest. People are entitled to protest, but this has gone beyond legitimate protest, blocking access to ports and to oil refineries and so on,” he said.
Speaking after returning from the protest in Cashel, Cllr Browne said: “there is an air of determination among them, but also anger with how they have been spoken about, and dealt with, by the Government”.
"Threats will not solve this. Talking will. The protest is getting bigger. And more power to them. Their livelihoods depend on this,” the Cashel-councillor added.
Labour Party councillor Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan told the Irish Independent that, from speaking to the protesters across Tipperary, they don’t want to be on the roads protesting, and that they would much rather be out working and earning money.
“They want to have their stuff out working, they want to be making money because the bills are still coming in even though they’re here,” he said.
“The biggest fear for them is that in one to three months, some of them could be out of business, but definitely within the three to six month period there could be a lot of them out of business if this continues,” he said.