Fuel price protests cause chaos on Galway roads

About 100 tractors and 100 trucks from across North Galway assembled at the West Wing in Tuam from 5.30am and travelled in convoy to Lough Atalia in the city.

Some travelled on the old Galway Road through Claregalway and others went on the M6 Motorway.

They were joined by convoys of dozens of vehicles travelling slowly from Moycullen and Loughrea to Galway during morning rush hour.

Traffic was moving reasonably okay, despite the protest, as schools remained off for Easter.

Among the protestors were two Fine Gael Galway County Councillors, Andrew Reddington from Headford and Peter Keaveney from Glenamaddy - despite their party being part of the Government Coalition.

Councillor Reddington told the Tribune that local hauliers and farmers had asked him to join them. "I was not going to turn my back on them," he said.

Independent Ireland Councillors Noel Thomas and Declan Geraghty were prominent, while Orla Nugent, Aontú's Galway West bye-election candidate, was there too.

"We support the demand for green diesel to be capped at €1 a litre and for white diesel to be capped at €1.70 a litre," said Councillor Reddington.

An Garda Síochána said it respected the right of citizens to peaceful protest but had to balance that with "the rights of individuals to travel freely and commercial organisations to conduct business."

Ms Nugent warned that agricultural and forestry contractors were being "driven to the wall" by the spiralling fuel crisis, with diesel cost increases of up to 70%.

She said a full silage operation could cost an additional €3,240 per job, contributing an estimated €244 million burden across the sector.

"These are the cold, hard figures faced by the people who cut our silage, harvest our crops, and keep food production moving," she said.

"When their engines fall silent, the entire country feels it," she added.

Protestors said the Government relief to date was insufficient.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin's bye-election candidate in Galway West, Mark Lohan called for the Dáil to urgently reconvene this week to tackle the fuel crisis.

"Galway families and workers have been pushed to the pin of their collar with the cost of living crisis," he said.

"Farmers, businesses, hauliers are all telling us clearly that they are under serious pressure. These are the people who are keeping our economy going, we need to listen to them and we need to have their backs. This is an emergency that effects everyone and could undermine the economy if we don't take steps to tackle it.

"The Dáil must sit and back Sinn Féin's proposals for a maximum reduction in diesel, the same reduction for petrol, and, crucially, remove excise duty entirely from home heating oil and an extension of fuel allowance by 13 weeks," said Mr Lohan.

Fellow candidate and Mayor of Galway, Cllr Mike Cubbard said that the protests were a clear sign that the Government's response to rising fuel costs was failing.

"People are out on the roads because they are struggling to keep up with soaring fuel costs," he said.

"The war in Iran is pushing prices up, but the Government's response has been weak, slow and completely inadequate."

Highlighting the scope for action, Cllr Cubbard added, "Around 59% of petrol and 52% of diesel is tax. Emergency legislation to cap prices on petrol, diesel and home heating oil is urgently needed."