The Government is hoping to face down fuel protests with the prospect of a multimillion-euro package of supports which will be signed off only once the protests have been stood down – and with tougher enforcement by gardaí.
The overall size of the package has not yet been nailed down but it is understood it will be in the tens of millions at least.
Protester representatives were denied entry into talks between Government Ministers and representative groups on Friday, despite earlier claims they would attend. It sparked an angry reaction from protesters on the ground who vowed to continue shutting down roads and facilities around the country.
An Garda Siochána has declared an exceptional event as a result of the protests in agreement with Garda associations. Under the declaration, gardaí can be prevented from taking leave and other exceptional measures can be used to ensure sufficient staffing.
Amid warnings that emergency services would have to scale back operations due to fuel shortage concerns, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it was “unconscionable, illogical and difficult to comprehend” that oil shipments destined for Ireland might be rerouted due to blockades in the midst of a fuel price crisis.
Health services prioritised emergency and time-sensitive care on Friday, while the National Emergency Co-ordination Group heard that fire services will cease non-essential activities. Responses to non-life-threatening call-outs will be restricted as a fuel-saving measure.
After four days of protests, and with further talks planned between representative groups and the Government planned over the weekend, the fuel industry warned that more Irish forecourts were at the risk of running dry.
Online discussion groups of protesters promised more action over the coming days, even as gardaí moved to secure access to key fuel infrastructure, including Whitegate refinery in Co Cork. A protester at the refinery was arrested by gardaí for an alleged public-order offence.
Government sources indicated on Friday night that they expected enforcement actions by the gardaí to intensify, and there were signs that the gardaí were preparing to take a more robust approach.
It is expected that the new package of fuel support measures, unlikely to be finalised until next week, will contain an extension of the diesel rebate scheme and a number of other elements. Some aspects of the package will have to be agreed with European Union authorities, it is understood.
Speaking on RTÉ, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris said there would be a “substantial and significant” package aimed to try to keep sectors of the economy going.
He referenced past schemes that provided direct funding to farmers, credit supply lines and cash-flow assistance – as well as contacts with Europe over flexibility on the energy tax directive, which dictates how much can be cut from excise duty.
It is understood a letter is being prepared from Martin and Harris to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen seeking further engagement on the energy tax directive.
Farming, haulage and business representatives met Government figures including Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien and Independent Minister of State Seán Canney for almost five hours on Friday.
Talks over the weekend will be split into smaller groups with transport and agriculture organisations meeting in different Government departments.
The country is now facing a fifth day of significant disruption around the country with motorways blocked and continuing gridlock in Dublin city centre, where O’Connell Street and bridge remained blocked.
Supplies of fuel are now significantly constricted, with the number of petrol stations having run out now put at about 500 – about a third of the State’s filling stations.
Protesters threatened to “close the country down”, while one of their spokesmen, James Geoghegan, demanded the resignation of Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Meanwhile, it emerged that Geoghegan, one of the most prominent voices of this week’s protests, has convictions for animal cruelty and neglect involving large numbers of cattle. He has also been subject to Revenue judgments of more than €500,000 in recent years.
[ Fuel protest leader James Geoghegan has animal cruelty convictions and Revenue judgmentsOpens in new window ]
Court records show he was convicted in 2006 at Tullamore District Court of 13 counts of animal cruelty and neglect involving his cattle herd the previous year. He was fined a total of €6,250 arising from those convictions.
On Friday he claimed all judgments against him – currently recorded as unsatisfied – had been satisfied, and that Revenue owed him money. He said the animal cruelty cases were not his “issue” and were “before my time on the farm”.
Fine Gael TD Peter Roche told RTÉ on Friday that he was disappointed and frustrated that fuel protesters had not been admitted to the talks – while Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness also said he thought the Government should have met them.
However, there was little sign of a general groundswell of support for protesters from the Government backbenches.
Harris said he wanted the situation to be resolved calmly “but if people do not step back, the laws of the land will be applied”.
“It is time to go home,” he said, promising that Government and industry would work through the issues.
Disruptions continued throughout the day on Friday, with Dublin Bus warning of severe service disruptions while Luas Green line services remained partially suspended.