Some filling stations in county beginning to run out of fuel

Some filling stations around the county are beginning to run out of fuel due to the ongoing protests and blockades. This comes as protestors this morning blocked the N4 Boyle to Carrick-on-Shannon road near to Carrick.

Luke Mee of Daybreak Knockcroghery said that he expects to run out of diesel by this evening.

“We still have a few thousand litres of petrol left,” he said. “ But diesel will be out, we were lucky to keep going this long because we got a delivery two days ago. The rule of thumb is it usually takes two days for most of the country to run out.” He added that the Knockcroghery station is supplied by the Foyne Fuel Depot in Limerick.

He fully agrees with the fuel protests. “The Government needs to stop the carbon tax,” Mr Mee said. “I think they’re getting it totally wrong. Out of a litre of fuel, costing €2, we get less than five cent. If it’s €3 a litre we get less than 5 cent. We’re on a commission basis, regardless of price. And then the Government had the cheek to say filling stations were price gouging, considering they’re getting €1.20 or €1.30 in tax per litre. They are the ones who have been cleaning up. We are getting some abuse over these prices and it’s staff who has to listen to it. Most of the public are very understanding but you get the odd one saying you’re price gouging.” 

He said that even if the station runs out of fuel, it will continue to serve the local community as a local shop. “We have to keep going,” he said. “They have billions there in the rainy day fund, if this isn’t a rainy day, I don’t know what is? They are able to give millions of euro in aid to other countries.” Dermot Lyons of Lyons Mace in Castlerea said that his filling station on the Knock Road is now completely empty of fuel but he hopes to receive a delivery this evening.

“We are out since 8.30 a.m., both petrol and diesel,” he said. He also highlighted that the price of a fuel delivery has increased significantly because of the US-Iran war.

“I made the order on Tuesday and I had enough to bring me to Monday, but yesterday evening we had four days of customers in the one day. There were three of us on the pumps and the Gardaí ended up coming out for an hour because of the traffic. I have never seen a queue like it, out as far as the Lidl junction.” He reiterated that filling stations only receive a tiny fraction of the sale of fuel.

“Then you put drive off on top of that,” he said. He also said that staff have experienced abuse from some members of the public, with one person refusing to pay for some of their fuel.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon/Galway Claire Kerrane has said that dialogue and not the Army will end the ongoing protest in relation to rising fuel costs.

“I remember during Storm Éowyn when people in the West of Ireland were over two weeks without power, there were calls for the Army to be deployed. Households without electricity, without heating and without water. These calls were ignored by Government.

“Today, Government talk of use of the Army to intervene in a protest that can be ended in a matter of minutes if Government agree to engage with the sectors protesting, not represented by any existing organisation.

“This threat of the Army being sent in only escalates a serious situation already. People aren’t protesting for the fun of it. Their livelihoods are on the line. They are desperate. They need to be heard.

“And now, queues at petrol stations as people fear running out of petrol and diesel.

“From day 1 of this war and all along, Government have been too slow to act.

“The only way this will be solved is through engagement and dialogue. Government need to listen,” stressed Deputy Kerrane.