The possible return of fuel protests
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Why are petrol and diesel prices soaring to €2‑plus per litre in Ireland?
So the price of petrol is heading towards €2 a litre nationwide. Diesel has risen to €2.13 in some forecourts around the country. Farmers and contractors are also under pressure as agri-diesel has also experienced sharp rises. TDs returned from their summer recess for a short sitting at the end of August to vote to continue the excise cuts on petrol and diesel. Those cuts are now due to start being reversed on the 31st of October. Added to this, We have a budget this day, fortnight, when a decision will have to be made about increases in the carbon tax. So, with no sign of an end to the turmoil in the Middle East, which caused the spike in energy prices, could we see fuel protests breaking out again?
Brian O'Connell was in Cork City Centre talking to some people about the rising fuel costs and the prospect of more protests, beginning with this taxi driver.
My fuel's going up 30 euros a week actually, just for normal day.
And we know, obviously, there were a few protests previously. Do you think they succeeded?
No. It didn't impact you, obviously. It didn't impact us at all. We were governed by our leaders.
What would you think of protests if they happened again? Do you think there'd be
support? Well, maybe they should do it on the bigger scale. you know, and shut down all the cities, make the government sit up and listen.
And I suppose the government's argument would be there are issues happening outside of Ireland that are impacting on price.
I agree, yeah, but the government are taking so much out of the, you know, I mean, every time the fuel goes up, the government get more. But why don't they just come along and the government say, right, it's a set price, because, you know, you go to one garage... It's such a price to go to another garage. You could save yourself 10 or 15 cents a litre by going to a different house. And for
someone like you, driving for
a living, that makes a difference.
What do everyday drivers in Cork think about the rising fuel costs and possible protests?
It's a huge amount, a huge amount, firstly.
Do you have sympathy for the government?
Eh, I'd be sorry for them. That's how you do it in the face of trouble. For the last couple of years, over the island and everything, and the random tests and data. And what did you
think of the protests the last time? Do you think they were right to take to the streets? Well, they were right.
They've got a bit of justice over there, but I don't think they should do it again.
You don't think they should do it
again? Everybody suffers.
Everybody is suffering, yeah.
That's why there's no shops to be closed and everything, no business, no money.
So do you think that public sympathy mightn't be as strong the next time?
I don't think so.
OK. Did you notice it going up? It's
gone over two years. Yeah, it's gone over two years,
yeah. You'd notice it in the pocket, would
you? Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Should we have protests again? Would they make a difference, do you think?
They do, definitely, yeah, because it's time for people to stand up, do you know what I mean?
You'd support
it?
How is the 68 % jump in green diesel affecting farm and forestry contractors?
Oh, yeah, definitely.
Obviously, there was inconvenience the last time as well. People couldn't get to hospital
appointments and all of that. Oh, I know there's that side of it, but they did make allowances for people to be able to get to hospital and stuff, didn't they? So it wasn't kind of like that they stopped doing everything.
Do you think it'll have an impact?
Hopefully it will, because they seemed to listen to people the last time, so I don't see why they can't listen to them again this time.
Some people in Cork City Centre there talking to Brian O'Connell. For more on this, I'm joined by Anne Gleeson-Hanrahan, Managing Director of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland. Good morning, Anne.
Good morning, David, and thank you for having us on.
Well, thanks for joining us. Now, commuters out there obviously know diesel in particular has gone up past two euros a litre. Now, your members use green diesel, obviously, because you're agricultural contractors, which is cheaper. But the point is the price has gone up.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why are petrol and diesel prices soaring to €2‑plus per litre in Ireland?
0:00–1:43
2
What do everyday drivers in Cork think about the rising fuel costs and possible protests?
1:43–2:33
3
How is the 68 % jump in green diesel affecting farm and forestry contractors?
2:33–4:14
4
What support are contractors hoping to see in the upcoming budget (carbon‑tax rebate, excise relief)?
4:14–6:47
5
Why are grocery bills climbing and how are energy‑price spikes feeding food inflation?
6:47–8:39
6
Is there evidence of price‑gouging in Irish supermarkets or is competition keeping margins low?
8:39–10:40
7
How are consumers changing their shopping habits – own‑brand switches, more trips, deliveries?
10:40–13:13
8
Will food and fuel prices stabilise after the Strait of Hormuz tension and climate impacts?
13:13–15:21