Fuel protests across Ireland are continuing for a fourth day on Friday, with petrol and diesel supplies at Irish forecourts under threat of running dry.
Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of protests on Tuesday, which have grown from slow-moving convoys on Dublin’s M50 to blockades of fuel depots that supply half the country.
That has raised concern over panic buying at forecourts, some of which have run out of fuel, as well as impacts on emergency services and deliveries of key supplies for animal welfare on farms.
Below is the latest information on the protests on Friday, including road closures, public transport disruption and fuel supply issues.
Dublin city centre
Fuel protests and road blockades are continuing on Friday in central Dublin.
O’Connell Street and O’Connell Bridge are blocked by protesters, along with Westmoreland Street.
The north and south quays and D’Olier Street remain open to traffic.
Roads and motorways
Fuel protests on a range of national routes are causing disruption for motorists in counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Laois, Westmeath, Offaly, Kildare, Galway, Cork and Dublin.
In Dublin, the M50 is closed at junction 3/the interchange with the M1, which will impact traffic heading to Dublin Airport.
The M50 northbound is blocked between junctions 6 and 5.
The M1 is blocked southbound at junction 18, which is the Carlingford exit.
The M7 remains closed at Portlaoise in both directions, while the M8 northbound from Cashel to Cahir is also blocked by protests.
In Limerick the M7 is blocked at Annacotty in both directions and the M18/N18 is closed southbound at junction 2.
In Co Westmeath, the M6/N6 is blocked at junction 8 near Athlone, while the M4/N4 is closed at junction 14 near Mullingar.
In Co Kilkenny, the M9 is blocked northbound at junction 9.
The M18 in Co Clare is closed at Dromoland.
Fuel protesters on O’Connell Street in Dublin city centre. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Transport Infrastructure Ireland said its network operations are working closely with the Garda in managing the disruption.
It has advised commuters to go to traffic.tii.ie for live updates on the impact across the national road/motorway network.
Public transportLuas
Luas Green Line services are currently not operating in Dublin city centre, between St Stephen’s Green and Dominick Street. Services are operating between Broombridge and Dominick Street and between St Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen only.
Luas Red Line services are operating as normal on Friday.
Dublin Bus
The bus network in the capital is experiencing more disruptions and delays on Friday.
Many morning express services to the city centre were cancelled. Other cross-city bus services are continuing to be diverted on Friday and are using different termini.
The full list of cancellations, route diversions and termini changes can be found here.
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann services continue to be significantly impacted on Friday due to the fuel protests.
The operator said it has deployed additional staff at key locations to assist customers and to maintain service as best as possible.
Cork city services may experience disruptions and diversions on Friday.
Bus Éireann is updating its list of cancelled or delayed services by region:
Rosslare
Protesters close to Rosslare Europort were served with a section 8 of the Public Order Act by gardaí on Thursday night.
Social media footage late on Thursday showed officers warning protesters they could be arrested if they did not peacefully disperse from an area near the port in Co Wexford.
Gardaí posted on social media on Friday morning and said “critical deliveries” left the port overnight after “positive and constructive engagement with local protesters” during the fuel demonstrations.
Fuel blockades and supply issues
Protesters have restricted access to a major oil refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork, as well as fuel depots in Galway city and Foynes, Co Limerick.
It has raised concern over panic buying at petrol stations. In Co Kilkenny, numerous filling stations have reported they have no fuel left following a surge in motorists panic buying.
A leading industry representative warned that the number of forecourts running dry would get “much, much worse” from Thursday evening’s position of affected service stations being in the “low double digits”.
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Fuels For Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartlan said “panic buying has absolutely taken hold” and warned that “real significant life-death problems are going to be caused” with fuel supplies to emergency service vehicles under threat.
The State’s emergency planning group echoed the comments with “serious concern”, saying there may be an impact on availability for some vital services, supply chains and public transport.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group said the State’s overall fuel supplies remain “robust and resilient” but said the obstruction of key routes from ports is threatening the provision of animal feed supplies, fertiliser and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods in the agriculture sector.