Garda Commissioner says road blockages will not be 'tolerated' amid threat of new fuel protest

THE GARDA COMMISSIONER has said there will be “absolutely no toleration” for road blockages amid the potential for fuel protests on Friday.

Posters circulating on social media have called for a range of professions, most notably truckers, hauliers and farmers, to protest on the streets this coming Friday.

The posters ask people to come out in all major towns and cities, especially Dublin, which will be hosting a major EU Council summit.

Fuel protests in April saw hauliers and agricultural contractors organise slow-moving convoys in cities, on motorways and restrict access to Dublin’s busiest streets, with O’Connell Street blocked off for a number of days.

This then escalated to blockades of fuel depots that supply half the country and Ireland’s only oil refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork.

The blockades were lifted in Dublin in a late-night policing operation almost a week after they began, while the public order unit was sent to Whitegate.

Gardaí have already begun their largest-ever security operation as more than 50 world leaders visit Dublin for the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, followed by an informal meeting of the EU Council on Friday.

Asked by The Journal about the potential for fuel protests, Commissioner Justin Kelly said: “There’ll be absolutely no toleration for any blockage, anything in the next few days, anything around motorways, critical infrastructure, or any of the EPC locations.

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“I think that’s really important to note.”

Kelly had earlier said that there are a “number of planned protests” and that while gardaí will “always facilitate peaceful protest, if there’s any protest that moves into the criminal area, of course we will deal with it swiftly”.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Roberts, assistant commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region, also noted that he is “aware of a number of interested parties who may wish to have a protest”.

“We have engaged with a number of parties,” he added, “and have asked anyone that is minded and wants to protest to engage with An Garda Síochána, and we will facilitate lawful, peaceful protest.

“We have nothing to suggest that any protest that is planned will be anything other than peaceful.”

Roberts then added: “There will be no tolerance for any protest that involves the blocking of roads.

“Obstruction of any aspect of the event will be dealt with swiftly and robustly, and there will certainly be no tolerance of any interference with critical infrastructure.”

In a statement to The Journal, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said it is “aware of a protest planned for Friday”.

“While we fully understand, empathise with, and share the frustration felt across the transport sector in Ireland, the IRHA wishes to make it clear that, at this point in time, we are not involved in the organisation of this protest and will not be participating,” added the statement.

The IRHA said its “focus remains on constructive engagement with the Department of Transport and the government to deliver supports for hauliers”.

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It added that the IRHA is “actively involved in ongoing discussions with government to secure practical, sustainable supports for the haulage sector”.

“We believe dialogue — not disruption — is the most effective way to deliver real solutions for our members and the wider industry at this point in time,” said the IRHA.

IFA rally

Roberts said gardaí have “engaged with a number of parties”, with the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) being among them.

The IFA has planned what it describes as a “rally” close to the Convention Centre where the EU Council summit will take place on Friday.

IFA president Francie Gorman said that the organisation was originally planning to have a “large protest in Dublin during the summit”.

However, he said the IFA has been “engaging” with gardaí for the past three weeks and that it “became clear this would not be effective given the huge security operation around the Convention Centre”.

The IFA today announced a “No CAP Cuts” campaign, which will culminate in Friday’s rally.

Gorman said that “proposed 24% cuts to the EU CAP budget are savage” and that “we want to drive home the message that this is totally unacceptable”.

“Ultimately, the EU budget including the CAP is a matter for the EU Heads of State who are all in Dublin this week,” said Gorman.