Taoiseach Micheal Martin told the Hard Shoulder blockade has to lift for engagement to occur between Goverment and protestors.
On Friday afternoon, The Hard Shoulder co-host Shane Coleman heard from by Taoiseach Michéal Martin who said the fuel protest blockade had to lift in order for talks to go forward with government.
With the protests now on their fifth day, the Government held a meeting with groups representing farmers, agricultural contractors and hauliers to discuss the cost of fuel.
Previously, organisers had insisted the fuel protest would end if the Government agreed to a meeting.
An agreement has yet to be reached with the Taoiseach now saying talks between protesters and Government would only go-ahead if the blockade was dissolved.
“If the blockade is lifted, the government is very much open to engagement”, he told The Hard Shoulder.
“We’re very much open to talking to people.”
He said that while discussions may not be finalised by Friday’s talks, they could get finalised over the next number of days.
“There are a lot of genuine people under a lot of pressure [within the protest]”, the Taoiseach said.
“We accept that there's a lot of concern in terms of the price of fuel in daily lives.
“There have been a number of statements made that are just unacceptable because no self-appointed group or unelected group can close the country down.
“That's what some of these leaders have been saying they're going to do.
Mr Martin said it was hard to comprehend where protesters thought the situation was going to end if they continued to make statements that they’re going to close the country down.
Fuel protest. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell.Responding to Fuel protest PRO James Geoghan’s claims he should resign, Micheal Martin said the latter had no right to determine whether he resigns or not.
“Nor does he get the right to dictate to the Irish people the terms and conditions of how an illegal blockade is lifted.
“Cancer patient appointments are being cancelled because they can't get to a hospital.. That's not the law.
“The law of the land has to be upheld.”
Asked why the army had been called but not yet used he said ‘a latitude was given that was leveraged to an unacceptable degree.”
Taoiseach says blockade has to lift for progress to be made
The Taoiseach said he was not in any position to give guarantees about how the situation would evolve in the next few days.
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“The situation is very grave and serious”, he told The Hard Shoulder.
“We import our oil and we also have an oil refinery central to our supply.
“The finished product coming out of Whitegate was very important and our national reserves gave us a lot of comfort in terms of facing the global shortages of energy resulting from the U.S.-Iran war.
“The situation was already critical then.
“Now, unconscionably, because of these blockades, we're on the precipice of turning away oil from the country to the international markets”
Mr Martin said the Gardaí have to create avenues and lift those blockades to protect the people of Ireland in terms of access to oil supply.
“I believe people don't realize how serious this is”, the Taoiseach told The Hard Shoulder’s Shane Coleman.
“This is damaging the country, damaging the people.
Main Image: Micheál Martin speaks to media. Picture by: ZUMA Press Inc.
