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Ireland Clears Fuel Blockades and Approves Tax Cuts After Week of Protests

Reopenings signal a fragile return of fuel deliveries with hundreds of stations still dry.

Overview

  • The Whitegate refinery, which police cleared Saturday, reopened to fuel trucks after public order units removed tractors and used pepper spray.
  • Following Sunday’s overnight operation in Dublin, O’Connell Street reopened as gardaí moved blockading trucks and prepared further enforcement at Galway docks.
  • The Cabinet approved Sunday a relief package with a 10‑cent‑per‑litre cut on petrol and diesel plus a delay to the next carbon‑tax increase.
  • Industry estimated roughly 600 of 1,500 stations were out of fuel, with officials warning shortages threatened ambulances, hospitals and freight until distribution stabilizes.
  • The protests, launched Tuesday by hauliers and farmers and spread via social media, targeted depots, a refinery and major motorways to press for lower operating costs.