Fuel protests have Ireland’s government facing possible no-confidence vote
LONDON (AP) — Ireland ‘s government could face a no-confidence vote Tuesday in Parliament over how it has handled a week of fuel protests that blocked access to oil supplies and a major port and caused massive traffic jams.
Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced new tax cuts to try to end the crisis that began after the U.S.-Israel war on Iran led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital channel for the world’s oil. But opposition parties blasted the government for failing to respond sooner and criticized the aid it offered.
Sinn Fein, the largest opposition party, called for the no-confidence vote scheduled Tuesday evening. But Martin’s coalition government has scheduled an earlier vote of support that could make the no-confidence motion moot if passed.
The passage of a no-confidence vote would force the ruling government to resign and lead to either Parliament voting on a new prime minister to form a government or triggering a new general election. The Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, Aontu, The Green Party and Independent Ireland have said they would back the motion.
Protests began April 7 with slow-moving convoys clogging roadways. They grew as word spread on social media as truckers, farmers and taxi and bus operators blocked key infrastructure and the main thoroughfare in the capital, Dublin.
Demonstrators called for price caps or tax cuts to alleviate soaring fuel costs they said will drive people out of business.
Martin said the government can learn from the protests, but defended the response by police and military to clear roadblocks at the country’s sole oil refinery at Whitegate in County Cork and at several depots. They caused more than a third of gas pumps to run dry.
“We had to clear Whitegate and the ports because we export about 90% of everything we make in this country,” Martin said. “The ports are the lifeblood of economy, and if the ports were blockaded for any length of time, people would have lost jobs, part-time production would have ceased, and it would have been very, very serious.”
The demonstrations were tolerated until the weekend, when police used pepper spray in clashes with some protesters and an army truck knocked down a log barricade at the Galway port. Many protesters said they achieved their goal in getting the government to compromise.
Lawmakers were also scheduled to vote Tuesday on the fuel support package amounting to 505 million euros ($595 million) that Martin said will ease some cost-of-living pressures.
The package would include direct payments to truckers and school bus operators and fuel subsidies for agricultural and fishing industries. The relief measure would follow a 250 million euro tax break approved three weeks ago.
Sinn Fein criticized the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael coalition government for failing to protect people from the fuel price spike, not recalling Parliament to discuss the crisis over a holiday break and responding with what it called half-measures.