{"id":394625,"date":"2026-04-12T11:23:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T11:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/394625\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T11:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T11:23:08","slug":"fuel-protesters-ambushed-by-gardai-emergency-cabinet-meeting-trucks-leave-cork-refinery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/394625\/","title":{"rendered":"Fuel protesters ‘ambushed’ by garda\u00ed; Emergency Cabinet meeting; Trucks leave Cork refinery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emergency Cabinet meeting to take place on Sunday to sign off on fuel-cost measures;
\n Government devising temporary fuel support scheme to provide support;
\n Garda\u00ed clear blockades on Dublin’s O’Connell St and in Galway; Foynes blockade to stand down at 1pm
\n Nineteen trucks of fuel left Whitegate oil refinery in East Cork on Sunday morning<\/a>;
\n Fuels for Ireland’s Kevin McPartlan warns it would “still take 10 days to recover” to normal;
\n Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly vows to step up enforcement against fuel-cost protesters;
\n Whitegate blockade in East Cork stood down on Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Blockade at Foynes to be stood down at 1pm<\/p>\n

\n 11.35am: The fuel blockade at the entrances to the fuel terminal at Foynes, Co Limerick, is to stand down at 1pm this afternoon, organisers said.<\/p>\n

A decision to open the blockade, erected six days ago, came after a vote among protestors was taken earlier.<\/p>\n

It was anticipated that a garda public order unit, which had opened blockades at Cork on Saturday, and Galway on Sunday, would travel to Foynes next.<\/p>\n

Independent Ireland TD Richard O\u2019Donoghue, who supported the blockade there said: \u201cI’ve just had a meeting with the people that have been here for the last five and six days, here in a peaceful protest here in Foynes, and we’ve taken a vote with the hauliers, the contractors, agriculture contractors, the people that have been here, and the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to pull out of Foynes here today peacefully, as we came in peacefully, at 1pm today.”<\/p>\n

Package of supports still being formulated ahead of Cabinet<\/p>\n

\n 11.30am: The Cabinet will meet on Sunday for a rare emergency meeting to update on the security and transport situation related to the protests.<\/p>\n

It is understood, however, that work is still ongoing on the final shape of a package of supports for those most heavily impacted by surging energy prices. Such a package will require Cabinet approval and will focus on agribusiness, haulage and fisheries industries, with no plans for additional supports for home energy or fuel.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin last night said: \u201cThe Taoiseach has convened a cabinet meeting tomorrow for a security update, to be provided by Ministers O\u2019Callaghan and McEntee. There will also be an update on the talks that have been ongoing throughout the weekend.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a statement last night, T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris said significant progress had been made on resolving the blockades.<\/p>\n

“It is very important that law and order is maintained in this country. It is essential that people can exercise their rights to freely go about their business and that critical supply chains, including for fuel, are allowed to function properly.<\/p>\n

“The Government is eager to work sector by sector to try and make real progress on some of the very significant challenges that people are facing. That was the subject of intensive work across today,” Mr Harris said.<\/p>\n

Nineteen trucks of fuel leave Whitegate oil refinery<\/p>\n

\n 11.25am: Nineteen trucks of fuel left Whitegate oil refinery in East Cork on Sunday morning, with approximately 40 more due to leave by lunchtime.<\/p>\n

Fuels For Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartlan said that it is not yet possible to establish how many service stations will remain out of fuel, but said that original projections of 1,000 being empty by the end of the weekend are now unlikely.<\/p>\n

Mr McPartlan said that it is expected that Whitegate will be operating at full capacity on Monday but added that the clearance operation in Galway was still underway this morning, while no efforts had yet been made to end the blockade at Foynes port.<\/p>\n

But he warned that it will be 10 days from when all three sites are back up and running before issues with fuel supply are fully dealt with.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, police in Northern Ireland said they are \u201cmaintaining an ongoing assessment\u201d in relation to social media posts calling for similar planned protests there.<\/p>\n

A PSNI spokeswoman said: \u201cA policing response has been prepared, if needed, to ensure public safety and to help minimise any potential disruption to the wider community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defence Forces truck breaks through Galway barrier\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n 10.55am: The Defence Forces have assisted garda\u00ed with clearing a makeshift barrier erected by protesters blockading Galway docks.<\/p>\n

Footage posted on social media by garda\u00ed showed a Defence Forces heavy-lift recovery truck \u2014 nicknamed ‘the Beast’ \u2014 driving through the barrier constructed with pallets and logs.<\/p>\n

A second heavy-lift recovery truck operated by the Defence Forces was also at the scene while garda\u00ed worked to restore access to the harbour.<\/p>\n

A Garda Operation is ongoing at Galway Docks to ensure critical supplies of fuel to maintain critical emergency public services, including Ambulance and Fire Services. <\/p>\n

Garda Public Order Units have been deployed. <\/p>\n

Blockaders must comply with Garda directions. pic.twitter.com\/rntbR4DMR3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na (@GardaTraffic) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Galway blockade being brought to an end<\/p>\n

\n 9.40am:\u00a0Reports suggest the blockade in Galway is being brought to an end. The barricade there started to be cleared shortly before 8am to give access to the Port of Galway, which had been blocked with tractors and a barrier of railings, wooden pallets and felled trees.<\/p>\n

Members of the Public Order Unit, wearing protective gear and batons, were at the scene for hours overnight.<\/p>\n

RT\u00c9 reports that a line of garda\u00ed from the Public Order Unit are now securing the bridge leading to the port’s terminal.<\/p>\n

Dublin fuel protesters ‘ambushed’, says spokesman<\/p>\n

\n 9am: Fuel protesters in Dublin city centre were \u201cambushed\u201d by an \u201carmy\u201d of public order garda\u00ed, according to a spokesman for the blockaders.<\/p>\n

Around 20 large vehicles and tractors remained on O\u2019Connell St and the nearby quays in Dublin at 8am on Sunday, with dozens of protest participants and supporters.<\/p>\n

Steel barriers have been erected on surrounding roads to prevent further access, with the Irish police service An Garda Siochana monitoring the cordon while street cleaners cleared debris.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the overnight Garda operation on O\u2019Connell St, protest spokesman Christopher Duffy said he was \u201cupset\u201d, \u201cdisappointed\u201d and \u201cangry\u201d as he described the Garda response to the blockade as \u201coverkill\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cNobody in the city of Dublin or the country could say our assembly was anything but peaceful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Duffy said he believes protesters were denied due process, adding: \u201cWe got absolutely ambushed here last night by what I can only describe as an army of (public order garda\u00ed).<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, we\u2019re pulling out of O\u2019Connell St because we have been threatened with \u2014\u00a0I don\u2019t know the law, section 8 on the vehicles\u00a0 \u2014 if we don\u2019t get out by a certain time they\u2019re threatening to tow the vehicles on us.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese vehicles are very expensive with automatic transmissions and everything, and if they drag them with the engine not on they could wreck them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we have no choice, financially we have to move the vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Duffy said the operation was \u201cfrightening\u201d for some of the younger drivers and said there were \u201cmixed messages\u201d about tractors and trucks being towed.<\/p>\n

\"ChristopherChristopher Duffy speaking on O’Connell Street in Dublin. Picture: Cillian Sherlock\/PA Wire<\/p>\n

Mr Duffy also called for a motion of no confidence in the Government. He said the power lies with rural TDs and independents \u201cpropping up the Government\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cHow could a rural TD or any independent go back to their constituency after this and see what was done to the farmers, truckers and builders?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the protest, Mr Duffy said: \u201cI don\u2019t know where we move on from here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know we came united, and we leave united.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asked if the overall protests are now over, he said: \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Garda Operation is ongoing on O’Connell Street to remove all illegally parked vehicles.<\/p>\n

Frontline Uniform Garda\u00ed, Plain Clothes Garda\u00ed and Garda Public Order Units have been deployed. <\/p>\n

Blockaders must comply with Garda directions. pic.twitter.com\/2qvGP0GzZ4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na (@GardaTraffic) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Some vehicles remain on O’Connell St<\/p>\n

\n 8.20am: Around 20 large vehicles and tractors remain on O\u2019Connell St and the quays in Dublin following a major Garda operation to clear the blockade in the early hours of Sunday.<\/p>\n

Steel barriers have been erected on surrounding roads to prevent further access.<\/p>\n

A small group of protest participants and supporters remained at the scene at 8am.<\/p>\n

A Garda presence was monitoring the cordon while street cleaners cleared debris.<\/p>\n

Earlier<\/p>\n

\n 7am: A blockade of Dublin\u2019s main thoroughfare has been cleared in a late-night Garda operation, ahead of an emergency Cabinet meeting to sign off on measures the Government hopes will bring all protests over fuel costs<\/a> to an end.<\/p>\n

The protests, which involved blockades of Ireland\u2019s only oil refinery in Whitegare in East Cork, as well as key depots, strangled fuel distribution across the country and prompted an escalated Garda response that resulted in several arrests and public order garda\u00ed deployed in Cork and Galway<\/a> and Dublin.<\/p>\n

Participants \u2013 largely led by hauliers, farmers, and agricultural workers \u2013 began separate but coordinated actions on Tuesday with slow-moving convoys and outright stoppages on major motorways, as well as the blockades of critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The protests rolled into a sixth consecutive day on Sunday, with spokesmen calling on Government to take urgent action to reduce fuel costs which they say are at unsustainable levels and will lead to people going out of business.<\/p>\n

On Sunday morning, garda\u00ed announced all blockades in Dublin had been cleared following an overnight operation on O\u2019Connell St.<\/p>\n

It said illegally parked vehicles would be removed and blockading vehicles were removed under escort.<\/p>\n

Garda\u00ed said: “Frontline uniform garda\u00ed, plain clothes garda\u00ed and Garda public order units have been deployed. Blockading vehicles being removed under escort.”<\/p>\n

In a separate operation, garda\u00ed have also been clearing blockades on the M50.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Coalition is expected to sign off on fuel-cost measures on Sunday, but it remains to be seen if it will convince protesters to call off their actions before the return of schools on Monday adds to pressure on the roads.<\/p>\n

Garda\u00ed cleared a blockade of the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork<\/a> around lunchtime on Saturday and vowed to implement further enhanced enforcement actions.<\/p>\n

It saw physical clashes between protesters and garda\u00ed, who used pepper spray during the hour-long operation which resecured access for fuel trucks.<\/p>\n

Garda\u00ed were later called to a similar action at Galway harbour, where hundreds of protesters gathered in pouring rain while restricting access to a fuel depot by blocking the way with tractors.<\/p>\n

Members of the Public Order Unit, wearing protective gear and batons, were at the scene for hours overnight.<\/p>\n

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly had vowed to step up enforcement against fuel-cost protesters \u201cendangering the State\u201d by blocking critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Protesters\u2019 demands for meetings with Government were not acceded to but relevant ministers held talks with established national representative bodies on Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n

These meetings concluded with a \u201csubstantial\u201d package involving a temporary fuel transport support scheme\u201d and \u201ctemporary fuel support\u201d.<\/p>\n

It is understood the transport support scheme would see direct payments to businesses in the sectors affected by high fuel costs.<\/p>\n

A senior source said the scheme will be part of a broader package on the fuel crisis.<\/p>\n

The engagements included Irish Road Haulage Association president Ger Hyland, who said there were \u201cthe bones of an agreement\u201d with the Government.<\/p>\n

He added that he hoped the \u201csubstantial package\u201d, understood to include a direct payment scheme, would be agreed by Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

The Cabinet is due to meet on Sunday afternoon to sign off on the measures.<\/p>\n

The pledge of a \u201csubstantial\u201d package was not enough to dissuade protesters away from other blockades of a fuel depot in Foynes, Co Limerick and the main thoroughfare of Dublin city centre.<\/p>\n

Mr Kelly said: \u201cSome people have decided to escalate an already difficult situation by blockading critical national infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service and the fire service, as well as businesses and the general public.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are blockades. They are not a legitimate form of protest.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cWe gave the blockaders fair warning that we were moving to enforcement and they choose to ignore it and continue to hold the country to ransom.\u201d<\/p>\n

A small number of Defence Forces personnel with heavy-lift recovery trucks have been on standby to assist gardai with moving large vehicles if needed.<\/p>\n

The escalated enforcement action came after Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartlan said around 600 of the 1,500 filling stations in the Republic of Ireland had run dry on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n

He had predicted that the number \u201cwould grow quite dramatically\u201d if the blockades on Whitegate in Galway and Foynes, Co Limerick, continued.<\/p>\n