Fuel protests across Ireland are in place for a sixth day on Sunday, causing traffic disruption on many national routes and threatening fuel supplies at hundreds of garages.
Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of protests on Tuesday, which have grown from slow-moving convoys to blockading roads, and also fuel depots, that supply half the country.
Below is an update on the impact of the protests on Sunday, including road closures and public transport disruption.
New road blockades can be set up at short notice. If travelling, check your route on the transport provider’s website for the most up-to-date information.
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[ Live updates from the fuel protests as gardaí clear blockade on O’Connell StreetOpens in new window ]
Dublin city centre
Gardaí have cleared the blockade on O’Connell Street. However, the street remained closed to road traffic on Sunday afternoon, with Garda cordons at either end.
Roads and motorways
Drivers continue to be warned by TII that “significant delays” remain likely across the country due to blockades on motorways.
- A blockade is in place on the M1 at junction 18, Carlingford, in both directions.
- The M4/N4 between junction 16, Ballagh, and junction 17, Culleen Beg, in both directions.
- The M6/N6 is affected between junction 8 at Athlone and junction 9, Garrycastle, in both directions.
- On the M7, between junction 8 at Johnstown and junction 7, Kill.
- On the M7, there is disruption to travel between junction 16 and junction 17 at Portlaoise across both north- and southbound lanes.
- The M7 is disrupted on both sides of the road at junction 29 on the M7/N24 and junction 30.
- The M7 is disrupted on both sides of the road at junction 5 at Athgoe and junction 6, Castlewarden.
- Both sides of the M8 are disrupted. Blockades were impacting the southbound lanes between junction 6 and junction 9, while northbound lanes are bogged down between junction 9 and junction 7.
- On the M9, between junction 3 at Athy and junction 2, Kilcullen northbound. Also southbound between junction 3 and junction 4, Carlow.
- The N18 is subject to disruptions southbound between junction 2 at Dock and junction 1, Rossbrien.
- On the M18, on junction 11 at Dromoland in both directions.
M50
TII say the blockages on both sides of the M50 between junction 6 and junction 5, have been cleared.
Sean O’Neill, the communications director for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, has advised commuters to go to traffic.tii.ie for live updates.
Public transport
Luas
Luas Green Line services are currently not operating between St Stephen’s Green and Dominick Street as the blockades at O’Connell Street are being cleared. Services continue between Broombridge and Dominick Street, and between St Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen.
The Red Line is not running between Smithfield and The Point, but services between Smithfield and Tallaght/Saggart continue as normal.
Dublin Bus
There are “severe service disruptions and delays” across the Dublin Bus network due to “a major Garda operation” after the blockades on O’Connell Street were cleared on Sunday morning.
Some cross-city bus services are diverted or are using different termini, including: routes on the E spine, E1 and E2; the C-spine routes, C1 to C6; 4, 11, 13, 15, 39a, 44, 74, 122, and 151.
The full list of cancellations, route diversions and termini changes can be found here.
Bus Éireann
Services in and around Galway city will be disrupted today due to the protests and Garda response, Bus Éireann said.
Other areas of the country, namely those in Cork city are expected to face delays.
“All Cork city services will maybe experience delays today due to an ongoing fuel protest,” it said in a statement.
A number of routes serving Dublin Airport are also impacted, with some ceasing operations at Heuston Station: 2, 4, 22, 23, 30, 32, and 100X.
Impact on schools
The school bus scheme run by Bus Éireann is expected to resume on Monday but said “delays and potential service disruption” are likely if blockades continue.
Bus Éireann said the State-run school transport scheme is “intended to resume” on Monday following the Easter break.
The state-owned bus company said it is working to ensure “any disruption to school transport services is limited and localised”.
[ Could we be looking at the future of protests in Ireland?Opens in new window ]
“Parents are advised that if blockades continue to impact on road access in some parts of the country and challenges continue with fuel distribution, there are likely to be delays and potential service disruption experienced to some services,” it said in a statement.
Bus Éireann said it would notify families directly of any disruption to service.
