The government has announced a €505m fuel duty reduction after six days of protests over fuel costs and blockade disruption. The package was outlined in Government buildings in Dublin on Sunday evening ET after an emergency Cabinet meeting.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister of State Sean Canney presented the measures, which are due to take effect from midnight on Tuesday ET. The move comes as fuel began flowing again from Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork on Sunday ET, a day after protesters lifted a blockade that had stalled operations for days.
€505m Fuel Duty Reduction and what it covers
The package will cut petrol and diesel by 10c and defer the planned carbon tax increase. Martin said the measures are costed at €505m and will run alongside a previous €250 package announced last month. He said the government recognises the pressures created by rising fuel costs linked to war in Ukraine and in the Middle East on families and businesses.
The cut to excise duty required approval from the European Commission, and the government said further targeted measures for the agri-food sector will be announced later. Martin said the new package is meant as a significant response to pressures being felt both at home and globally.
Whitegate returns to flow after blockade ends
At Whitegate, oil tankers rolled again through the harbour village on Sunday ET as they moved to replenish empty petrol and diesel tanks at service stations and other locations. Gardaí were stationed at junctions and diverted traffic away from the road leading to the refinery, which is responsible for about 40 per cent of the State’s petroleum supplies.
On Saturday, the blockade had held up tanker movement, with up to 200 hauliers, farmers and contractors blocking the route. Gardaí then returned with a larger operation, including checkpoint coverage on the main Midleton to Whitegate road and back roads, while more than 60 public order unit officers were deployed with protective gear, batons and pepper spray canisters.
What officers and protesters described
Using a megaphone, Insp Dave Noonan told those involved to clear the area and warned they would be committing an offence if they did not. The protesters stayed in place as officers advanced, forcing them off the road amid pushing, jostling and a few scuffles.
One garda said about 10 officers deployed pepper spray during the confrontation, while protesters said a 14-year-old boy was among those affected in a confined space. Gardaí did not draw batons during the exchanges. The road was cleared within about 30 minutes, and Noonan later told the owners of the tractors blocking the road to remove them or face the possibility of Army engineers using lifting equipment.
There were jeers as the first tankers arrived under Garda escort, but the blockade had already become largely symbolic. Three hours later, the protesters decided to lift the blockade and leave in their trucks and tractors. The government now hopes the €505m fuel duty reduction will calm the immediate pressure, while Whitegate’s reopening shows how quickly the dispute has moved from confrontation to next steps.
