Irish Farmers Revolt Against Soaring Fuel Prices – Military Called In

With an expanded aid package, the government has temporarily calmed the situation without major confrontations, but protesters are threatening to resume the blockades.

In early April, widespread protests erupted across Ireland against the skyrocketing fuel prices that followed the US attack on Iran. The prices have hit farmers, truckers, contractors and other transport-dependent groups hard, who soon joined forces to protest by blocking everything from roads, approaches and ports to fuel depots and other infrastructure linked to energy supply. The most notable blockade was the Whitegate oil refinery, the only one of its kind in Ireland.

Trucks, tractors and other heavy vehicles also blocked the entire centre of Dublin and other cities, while massive caravans moved forward, occupying all lanes of the country’s motorways.

The Irish flag is raised from a truck as police surround the blockade and begin to tow tractors and trucks away. Army combat vehicles were positioned nearby as a warning to intimidate protesters into not resisting. Still image: X

Gas stations across the country quickly ran out of fuel. At its peak, Reuters reported that about a third of stations were without supplies. Within days, the government declared that the protests were threatening critical infrastructure and the accessibility of emergency vehicles.

Combat vehicles vs tractors

The government initially refused to negotiate with the protesters, describing the blockades as illegal. To deal with them, the government called in a large-scale police operation and, more controversially, the Irish Armed Forces.

“These are blockades. This is not a legitimate way to protest. We gave those maintaining the blockades clear warning that we would intervene, but they chose to ignore it and continue to hold the country hostage,” said Ireland’s Police Commissioner Justin Kelly before the order for the operation was given.

At the same time, the protesters received support from parts of Irish civil society, including Ger Hyland, chairman of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA).

“They are hard-working small business owners just trying to survive and keep their businesses afloat, just like all of us here in these negotiations.”

Armored vehicles. Social media images showed military vehicles taking to the streets during the protests. Reportedly, these were never used for anything more than a threatening message. Stills: X

Images of military vehicles rolling out onto Irish streets and roads soon circulated on social media. Since military operations against one’s own population are sensitive, the Aid to the Civil Power Act was used instead. According to the Act, the armed forces can assist the Irish police authority An Garda Síochána, as long as the police continue to have primary responsibility for law and order and internal security.

“The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be allowed to continue and the support of the Armed Forces has been requested. Large vehicles blocking critical national infrastructure will be removed,” the Ministry of Justice wrote on April 9 in connection with the police requesting assistance from the military.

According to rumors on social media, several senior commanders announced that they refused to act against their own population. What is clear is that several of them at least demanded to know whether they were actually being ordered to remove protesters or just tow vehicles. The Irish Times also reported that neither the Minister of Defence nor the Irish Defence Forces had been consulted before the announcement was made.

Roadblocks. Many Irish people shared photos and videos of blockades of highways, cities and fuel depots. In many places, the entire society soon came to a standstill. Still image: @TheLiberal_ie on X

An Irish sympathizer of the protests, Justin, told Swedish outlet Nya Tider that the military’s presence was primarily used as a deterrent.

“Technically, the military did not intervene to disperse the protests. That was done by the riot police. The army drove around threateningly in armored vehicles to make it clear that they were ‘available’ in case the protesters put up more resistance than the police could handle,” he said.

Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has been sharply criticized for the decision to call in the military. According to media reports, neither the Minister of Defense nor the Armed Forces were consulted before the decision was made. Photo: European Union

The government had already tried to alleviate the fuel crisis with a €250 million aid package before the major blockades. But with diesel prices already up by more than 20 percent, and with almost half of the cost of fuel in Ireland made up of taxes and levies, many farmers, hauliers and small business owners felt that the measures were not enough. The protesters instead demanded, among other things, a price cap on fuel prices, especially diesel, as well as further tax breaks and other reforms.

“With the price we pay for fuel, I’m probably two months away from my business going under,” agricultural entrepreneur Christopher Duffy told Reuters while the protests were ongoing.

“We’re not asking for much. We’ve just been backed into a corner.”

Cheaper to continue demonstrating than to work

Despite the government’s explicit refusal to negotiate with the protesters, an updated support package of 505 million euros was presented on April 12. The new proposal included further reductions in fuel taxes, a postponement of the increase in the carbon dioxide tax, and special support for agriculture, entrepreneurs, and the fishing industry, among other things.

This happened at the same time that the police began to lift the blockades. Reactions from the protesters’ representatives were mixed. John Dallon, a spokesman for the protests in Dublin, described it as a small victory for the demonstrations.

“We have achieved something small, but this has become something much bigger now and it is beyond my control,” Dallon told The Irish Times.

“We have reached a point where it looks like the people of Ireland have no confidence left in the government.”

Other leaders, such as farmer James Geoghegan, have described the government’s updated support package as an “insult.” He has threatened new blockades of “critical infrastructure” because “this government is not listening.”

“The people here don’t mind standing idle, because it’s cheaper to stand idle than to work with diesel prices at these levels,” he said.

Farmer James Geoghegan is one of the more radical leaders of the protests. He has taken an uncompromising stance against the government. When it became clear that the military would be deployed, he responded by saying: “We have an even bigger army.” Photo: Peter Madden via Facebook

Footage from the protests shows Geoghegan’s uncompromising stance being shared by the protesters. The issue of fuel costs is not isolated from other current issues, such as the government’s willingness to spend money on all sorts of projects – except on the Irish people. A viral video from one of the blockades, for example, captured farmer James Conway launching a fierce attack on the political establishment from the back of a truck.

James Conway, farmer. Still image: X

“The government doesn’t have a single fucking penny. They’re lying to you. They’ve taken your money and then wasted it on corruption, on Ukrainians and on building houses for foreigners,” Conway raged.

A national opinion poll published in the Sunday Independent showed that 56 percent of Irish voters supported the fuel protests. Only among voters who vote for the governing parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is there a majority who oppose them.

Among the opposition parties, however, support for the demonstrations has been pronounced – particularly from the right-wing populist Independent Ireland, which has openly taken a stand in favour of blockades and civil disobedience. Party leader Michael Collins elaborated on this position in an interview with RTÉ.

“As far as we are concerned, I will always support people who protest peacefully and in a peaceful manner, both for their own well-being and for the well-being of others. These are good, honest, hard-working people – self-employed people who are going bankrupt and cannot continue like this,” he said.

Politicians accused of disrespecting independent journalism

In addition to the controversial decision to call in the military, the government has also been criticized for its attacks on media coverage of the protests. In particular, a suggestion by Irish Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan that RTÉ News may have been behind the Whitegate blockade has sparked strong reactions.

The minister described it as “ironic” that the blockade of the oil refinery began shortly after RTÉ broadcast a report that no protesters were seen near Whitegate.

“It was almost like a dam burst, as if they said: “There is no one here at Whitegate right now, come down here.” Of course they started gathering there afterwards, and the rest is history, said O’Donovan in an interview with Tipp FM.

Séamus Dooley, deputy general secretary of the NUJ journalists’ union, directed sharp criticism at O’Donovan.

“We urge the minister to respect the role of independent journalism. There is no place for Trumpian ad hominem attacks on journalists, and the minister’s comments have raised real concerns,” he said.

“I can’t afford to move.” The message once the blockades were established was that diesel prices are too high for the owners of the vehicles to afford to move them. Still image: Rebel News on YouTube

Continued conflicts await

Although the most crippling blockades appear to have been broken or eased, protests have continued on a smaller scale, and according to both Irish media and protest leaders, the crisis is far from over. On social media, it is clear that discontent remains high and many expect the protests to resume in force sooner or later.

“This protest will not end until the cost of living has dropped to a level that allows us to continue our operations,” James Geoghegan told RTÉ after the blockades were lifted.

“Many of the guys want to go home and take a few days of rest and then come back, because the protests will not stop until this issue is resolved.”

Even from the government’s perspective, the package is only seen as a temporary solution. The work of replacing traditional fuels with “green energy” and striving for the EU’s climate goals remains a priority issue in Dublin.

“These are temporary measures in response to an exceptional global crisis. Ireland remains fully committed to its climate goals and the transition to cleaner energy,” the government briefing document, dated April 12, said.