Queues outside Mayo petrol stations as fuel shortage fears escalate

Gardai say ongoing protests at fuel depots and refineries no loner 'tolerable' and shift to enforcement stage

Diesel and petrol forecourts throughout Mayo have been witnessing queues outside their premises.

The development is as a result of growing fears of imminent shortages due to ongoing blockages of depots at key locations, including Galway.

The Connaught Telegraph has learned that some forecourts in the county have already run out of fuel due to the situation.

Deputy Commissioner, Policing Operations, Shawna Coxon said: "Over the last two days, An Garda Síochána has engaged extensively with those taking part in fuel protests across the country to facilitate peaceful protest while protecting public safety.

"In line with our tradition of policing by consent, An Garda Síochána has been operating on the basis of the 4Es – Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce.

"Yesterday, we advised protestors that they were severely impacting on the lives of people, particularly emergency workers, those who need to attend hospital, and workers.

"Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protestors to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

"These are no longer protests, they are blockades.

"These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people.

"This is not tolerable and is against the law.

"The wilful obstruction of public roads and the movement of vehicles and persons are offences under various statutes including the Public Order Act and Road Traffic Acts.

"As part of our well-established graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Síochána is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure unless they desist and disperse from these blockades.

"An Garda Síochána is advising protestors to immediately cease blockades of such critical infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law."

Statement on the fuel protest by the chair of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, David Conway, outlined: "Our position has not changed.

"There is no doubt that bus and coach operators are facing sustained and serious cost pressures and are dealing with a very challenging operating environment.

"The CTTC is not and will not be involved in the planning or coordination of the fuel protest and we will not be taking part in it.

"We would ask protestors to keep bus lanes clear so that buses and coaches can move freely around the country and help keep Ireland moving.

"Our efforts remain firmly directed towards working with government, in particular the Department of Finance, and the Department of Transport, to seek practical measures that will assist our members during this period of exceptional cost inflation."

The Defence Forces have been officially called in to deal with fuel protests across the country.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Army responded to a request from gardaí to help remove large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure like oil and water facilities.

It comes on foot of an official request for assistance by An Garda Síochána.

In a statement Jim O'Callaghan said owners of vehicles should remove them immediately this morning, and should not complain later if those vehicles are damaged during removal.

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland has said that the blockade of refineries in Foynes, Galway and Whitegate that the 50 per cent of all of the fuel that is sold in Ireland going through those three facilities is now not getting to forecourts.

“That means 50 per cent of households in Ireland, 50 percent of businesses in Ireland are not going to be able to get fuel if this is allowed to continue,” he told Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage.

“I find it interesting that the Taoiseach talks about a national sabotage and then we don't seem to be responding to that. To me, if you have the head of government talking about a national sabotage, then that would demand some sort of response from the state. And the Gardaí standing back leaning on squad cars, watching this, isn't what we need here. We need to ensure that people can get fuel.”

McPartland warned that if the blockades continue much longer then soon “scores” of forecourts around the country will run out of fuel.

Dublin Port needed to remain accessible, he said as it is the port that supplies Dublin airport. There needed to be “some sort of enforcement” by gardaí.