Thousands of motorists have joined a convoy of protestors heading towards Dublin to highlight the high price of petrol and diesel.
The People of Ireland Against Fuel Prices group said that trucks, tractors, vans, buses, cars, farmers, hauliers, fishermen, construction workers and families are all taking part, with Dublin’s O’Connell Street the final destination.
Speaking to Newstalk, protestor Paul McMahon described the current situation as intolerable for motorists.
“We need the fuel prices to come down - simple as,” he said.
“It’s going to put small businesses like me out of business.
“And the hauliers, I don’t even understand how they can even operate because we see what our diesel bill and what it has gone up to.
“So, it’s ridiculous, you just can’t work like this.”
Last month, the Government announced a package of measures designed to cut the cost of driving while international energy prices remain high.
Excise duty was cut on petrol and diesel, while a special support package for hauliers was announced.
However, on Newstalk Breakfast, reporter Josh Crosbie said many in the industry are struggling to make a profit.
“I was talking to one of the organisers yesterday and he told me that some hauliers are not even going to work this week because it's costing them too much to pay for the fuel,” he explained.
“I have spoken with some drivers here this morning who are from larger businesses, branded trucks, who said they would like to be taking part in it, but a larger company would not be involved with it.”
The Irish Road Haulage Association has made it clear it is not organising today’s fuel protest; however, the organisation's President, Ger Hyland, said he ‘empathises’ with the protstors.
“We can see where they're coming from,” he said.
“Our position on this is that we are still at the table with Government.
“We had a meeting with Government last Friday, we're meeting with them again this week.
“There's some of our members probably involved in this today, I don't know who's involved in it, I can see where they're coming from.”
Main image: The fuel protest.
