Fuels for Ireland has called on the organisers at the centre of the ongoing fuel protests to stand down their protests at Whitegate, Foynes and Galway, saying that the blockades are a “serious misjudgement”.

Kevin McPartlan, CEO, Fuels for Ireland said: “Fuels for Ireland is aware that some forecourts are now running out of stock as a direct result of the blockades at fuel terminals in Foynes and Galway, and at the refinery in Whitegate, County Cork.”

“The position is straightforward. If access to fuel terminals and refineries is obstructed, fuel cannot be loaded and delivered as normal. If fuel cannot be delivered as normal, stock levels at forecourts cannot be maintained. What we are now seeing at some sites is the inevitable consequence of those blockades.”

Since the first attack on Iran on 28 February, the overriding focus of the industry has been to protect Ireland’s security of fuel supply. Working closely with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the National Oil Reserves Agency, the sector has worked hard and effectively to ensure that Ireland continued to have a reliable supply of fuel available. 

He continued: “It is therefore disappointing that, at a time when enormous effort has gone into maintaining supply to Ireland, people in Ireland are now being prevented from accessing that fuel because key fuel facilities are being blocked.”

He added: “The people being hurt by these actions are not politicians, not civil servants, and not fuel suppliers. They are households, businesses, farmers, hauliers, workers, and communities across the country. They are the very people who rely on fuel to live their lives, to get to work, to run their businesses, to care for family members, and to keep essential services moving.”

“This goes beyond inconvenience, as when fuel deliveries are blocked, the consequences are serious. It is not just routine motorists who are affected. Essential workers are affected. Businesses are affected. Communities are affected. Emergency services are affected. If forecourts run dry, emergency vehicles will also face difficulty accessing the fuel they need.” 

“We want to be clear that we have real empathy for the concerns that are driving these protests. We fully understand the pressure that very high fuel prices are placing on hauliers, agricultural contractors, small businesses and families. Those concerns are real and legitimate.” 

“But blockading fuel terminals and refineries is a serious misjudgement. It does not put pressure on decision-makers in any meaningful way. Instead, it disrupts the lives of ordinary people and damages the very communities the protesters say they represent.” 

“For that reason, we are appealing directly to those involved to stand down these protests at these fuel terminals and the refinery. We do not want to see a situation in which An Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces are required to intervene. We do not want to see anybody getting into legal difficulty. But nor can Ireland’s fuel infrastructure be obstructed without serious consequences for the public.”

“Those involved should now reflect carefully on whether this is really the right way to make their point. The reality is simple: if you block fuel facilities, you reduce the availability of fuel at forecourts. That is exactly what is now happening.”