Commuters set to be impacted as fuel price protest by truckers aims to bring gridlock to capital

Commuters travelling to Dublin for work in the morning (Monday 11th April), and indeed all next week, are being advised to expect serious delays and inconvenience as a major protest by truckers and hauliers against fuel prices is set to bring the city centre to a standstill

The group, The People of Ireland Against Fuel Prices, has said it will not leave without a resolution on the issue. They are advising participants to prepare to protest “for at least one week, maybe even two”.

The demonstrators were previously known as The Irish Trucker and Haulage Association against Fuel Prices. They are not affiliated with the official Irish Road Haulage Association.

The protesters are set to gather in the early hours of Monday morning at locations on the M1, M4, M7 and close to the M11/M50 junction at 3am on Monday, before moving towards the capital.

A pedestrian march gathering at 9am at the GPO on O’Connell Street is also expected to take place.

In a post on Facebook, where they organise the protests, the group said it will not be a one-day demonstration and will be a “long drawn out process" until their demands are met.

“We are a group of truck companies struggling to stay afloat and have come together, along with farmers, bus companies, taxis and the general public to protest as the price of being in business and the cost of living is not affordable. We are all in crisis,” the post said.

“How are people to get to school or work? How are the elderly and disadvantaged supposed to pay for these increases? Not just diesel, petrol but electricity and gas. It’s atrocious the situations families are going to find themselves in, choosing between food, heat and transport,” the post said

“Our parents, grandparents and great grandparents did not work hard all their lives and pay tax for us to live in poverty.”

The group said they want a “peaceful protest”, adding “we hope you all understand and we are sorry for the inconvenience caused in advance”.

“Let it be a week to remember and one for the history books,” it added.

The group’s demands include price caps on petrol, diesel and home heating fuel, the scrapping of the carbon tax and the resignation of Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.

The price caps the group are seeking are €1.10 per litre for petrol, €1.20 per litre for diesel, 65c per litre for green diesel and 65c per litre for home heating oil.

The most recent price survey from AA Ireland found the average price per litre of diesel was €1.90, while petrol was €1.82.

A spokesman for the gardaí said it is aware of a “potential protest” in the Dublin region which “may impact on commuter traffic”.

“ Commuters intending to access or travel through the Dublin Region should plan accordingly,” the spokesman said.

Meath county councillor Alan Lawes said he was backing the protest and in a tweet said: "Support the truckers. Time for sitting on the fence is gone this cost of living crisis is effecting everyone."