Ireland's Prime Minister is convening a cabinet meeting in response to protests over fuel prices
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin is convening a cabinet meeting on Sunday, April 12, amid an escalating wave of protests against rising fuel prices. The demonstrations, which began on Tuesday and involved blocking roads with tractors and trucks, have brought traffic around Dublin to a standstill.
Bloomberg reports this, noting that law enforcement has already begun clearing the capital’s main streets of protesters’ vehicles.
The Irish government is currently working to finalize a significant support package for the transportation, agricultural, and fishing sectors. Among the measures to be discussed at the meeting on April 12 is a special transport support scheme. These steps will supplement the already approved €250 million package, which provides for an increase in the maximum discount on diesel fuel for carriers and operators.
Overnight, police dispersed protesters from the city center and continue to remove parked vehicles from surrounding areas. Ministers held meetings with representatives of the affected sectors on Saturday, April 11, to agree on the terms of crisis assistance. Further decisions on stabilizing the situation and lowering prices will be announced following Sunday’s cabinet meeting chaired by Micheál Martin.
Large-scale protests swept across Ireland on Thursday, April 9, due to the rapid rise in energy prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.
In Ireland, protesters blocked the country’s only oil refinery and the surrounding infrastructure. As a result, hundreds of gas stations ran out of fuel, and authorities began warning of risks to the economy.
