The gardaí finally acted to remove blockades on Whitegate oil refinery, other fuel depots, some motorways and Dublin’s O’Connell Street over the weekend. It was about time the authorities took control. The actions by those involved had long gone beyond protest and were undermining the normal workings of society and the economy. Had they been allowed to go into this week, not only would the public have continued to face completely unreasonable restrictions on movement, but emergency services would have been gravely disrupted and lay-offs would have started in many businesses.
The gardaí try to facilitate normal protests, a legitimate part of democracy, with a tacit understanding that some temporary disruption will be caused to the public. However, the tactics of the protesters this time took the Government by surprise and illustrate how disruptive such action can be. Blockades hindering vital supplies and groups deciding who can drive down a roadway and who cannot are simply not acceptable.
The response of the authorities has been slow and, at times, clumsy. The blockades were allowed to build up without intervention and the Government and its backbenchers did not send out a coherent message in response. Progress was made over the weekend and following discussions with representative bodies for the farming and haulage sectors the Government has announced a new package. It aims to help the worst affected sectors and the general public, though at a significant cost.
The affair still has a way to run as the substantial measures announced yesterday evening are debated against a backdrop of huge ongoing uncertainty about wholesale fuel prices. Political damage for the Coalition lies ahead as Sinn Féin puts down a motion of no confidence.
RM Block
There are longer-term issues, too. One is that the representative bodies appear to have been at least partly outflanked, leaving questions for them and for the Government. Protesters, and their supporters, are suspicious of the process of Government engagement with these groups. Many feel – rightly or wrongly – that their needs are not taken into account.
There is no easy answer. The Government cannot engage, under threat of protest, with every WhatsApp group seeking resources. But in the digital era organising such demonstrations has become significantly easier for those who feel alienated from the official negotiation process – including, it appears, many in rural Ireland.
Ministers need to realise that cost of living pressures continue to bite. If the Middle East crisis eases and fuel prices come down, pressure on this issue will ease. If not, the Government will face even more serious questions about how to help those affected, while at the same time keeping control on the public finances.
