The fuel protests will not end until the Government approves fossil fuel exploration off the west coast, organisers have said. 

With the protests now on their fourth day, the Government has organised 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. 

However, speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, farmer and Fuel Price Protest PRO James Geoghegan said the protest would continue. 

“It's not over yet for a simple reason, we don't trust the Government at any stage now,” he said. 

“I spoke to the other people from around the other parties around the country.

“We had several meetings yesterday evening, we had several meetings during the night and we had several meetings this morning. 

“The word coming back from around the ground is after what, after the way Micheál Martin disrespected everyone in the last few days, he is not to be trusted ever again.” 

The fuel protest in Cork. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie.

Mr Geoghegan added that they have scaled down the protest today, noting that some of the blockades around ports have been lifted. 

However, he continued that the protests still want the Government to take urgent action to cut the price of fuel. 

“The main four demands are that the carbon taxes are removed on agriculture diesel, there's a cap on agriculture diesel price and there's a cap on white diesel price and there's a cap on kerosene,” he said. 

“That's the four main demands and there is a couple of other demands going in along with those.” 

The fuel protest in Cork. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie.

Mr Geoghegan also said the protestors wanted the Government to explore the possibility of fossil fuel extraction from Irish territorial waters. 

“Well, one of the main demands is that the laws that Eamon Ryan passed to close down any exploration of oil off the west coast of Ireland,” he said. 

“Because we have been contacted by exploration companies who have told us how much oil is off the west coast of Ireland. 

“It was Eamon Ryan who knocked it on the head and that has to be looked at again now and revisited for the good of the nation.” 

The Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo remains in use but the Kinsale gas field has been depleted. Further reserves in Irish waters are understood to be minimal. 

Main image: The fuel protest on O'Connell Street and an oil rig. Pictures by: Rolling News and Alamy.com