Irish Government faces ‘no confidence’ motion following fuel protests
The Irish Government was due to face a ‘no confidence’ vote on Tuesday after almost a week of fuel protests that led to road closures and blockades.
Some convoys and blockades were still taking place across the country on Monday morning, after Gardai removed protesters at an oil refinery, ports and major roads over the weekend.
Many businesses across Ireland, including in Carndonagh in Inishowen, also closed on Monday in a show of solidarity, while a third ‘slow-drive’ event was planned for Letterkenny on Monday evening.
This followed two similar demonstrations in Donegal on Thursday and Saturday, which attracted thousands of people.
One of those was a stop-protest on Saturday evening between Manorcunningham and Letterkenny.
Deputy Charles Ward of the 100% Redress Party was in attendance and said. “The majority of people in Donegal are struggling.”
The 100% Redress Party has formally called for a Special Emergency Meeting of Donegal County Council in response to what it describes as a deepening national crisis impacting families, workers, carers, and businesses across Donegal.
Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn also posted: "Our Sinn Féin elected representatives in Donegal are proud to stand with our hard-working people who have been forced to protest against the government. Get off your high horses, listen to our struggling people and get the cost of fuel down.”
A massive go-slow protest also took place on the 20km stretch from Bridgend to Manorcunningham on Thursday in solidarity with fuel protesters in Dublin and was organised by Joey Lyle from Lyle Agri in Moville and assisted by Mark Hegarty, a Burt native residing in Bridgend.
The fuel protests were a response to rapidly rising fuel prices and broader cost-of-living pressures.
These concerns are also being felt north of the border.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly confirmed they have written to the Prime Minister urging him to take immediate action in response to the escalating impact of rising fuel and energy costs on households and businesses here.
"We are deeply concerned about the escalating pressures facing families, workers and businesses as fuel and energy costs continue to rise. The cost of fuel is putting significant pressure on, with increases not sustainable. These pressures are being felt in family homes here and beyond.”
A reported protest to be held in Derry on Monday morning did not materialise.
On Sunday, the Irish Government announced it had agreed a new package of measures on fuel costs and ‘to support the transport, farming and fisheries sectors.’
These included excise on diesel and petrol reduced by a further 10 cent and on marked gas oil (green diesel) by 2.4 cent.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the package ‘is a significant response to real pressures being felt here and globally.’
Sinn Fein is to table the ‘no confidence’ motion on Tuesday, with leader Mary Lou McDonald claiming that the ‘actions of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents have been disastrous.’
“They have lost the confidence of the public. It is clear that they still are not listening and do not accept the scale of this fuel and cost of living crisis,” she said.