Hauliers threaten ‘massive’ further 'ports and motorways' fuel protest in December

Hauliers brought traffic to a standstill in Dublin on Wednesday in a protest over fuel prices. The group said its supporters would hold a second protest in December involving lorries, trucks and tractors unless fuel costs are reduced.

“This is a warning as to what we can do and if we don’t get what we want it will be a lot bigger next time, a full week of it if we have to. It will be fully stopped next time and all ports will be blocked as well as motorways,” the group said in a social media post.

“Some people have told us their fuel costs have went up €20,000 in the past four months and they are running at a loss.

“We have kept this country going during the pandemic. If you are a haulier, trucker or a farmer you can help us.”

The Irish Road Haulage Association has distanced itself from the group.

Independent TD Richard O’Donoghue supports the group and said the inflation of fuel costs is a “national emergency”.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday he said: “The next protest will be one of the biggest that the country has ever seen. It could be the falling of the Government if it happened.”

“These are frontline workers I’m looking for an emergency meeting with the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan so that we can prevent this protest from going ahead. This is a national emergency and it needs to be treated like that,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue brought a large truck to the Leinster House car park in solidarity with the protesters, who are a new group without an identifiable spokesperson, and who make statements only on social media.

The average price for unleaded petrol is now 172.6 cent per litre, while diesel is now 163.3 cent per litre.

Mr O’Donoghue said that some truckers and hauliers were paying an extra €240 a week, or €1,000 a month, in fuel.

“It’s not just truckers, it is everybody. Not enough is being done. You will have trucks parked up soon that are going nowhere,” he said.

Also speaking in the Dáil, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the Government “understands and appreciates the fear, the difficulty and the anxiety” that’s arising from high fuel prices.

“It is important to say that these prices are driven by international factors and government only has so much control over these things,” he said.