‘If needed, we’ll be back on the roads’ fuel cost meeting hears

David Flynn

A very large gathering at a public meeting in Moate on Sunday called for government action to reduce the cost of fuel and abolish carbon tax, while giving a show of hands on a renewed campaign of street protests if the cost of living demands are not met.

The meeting at The Well, Moate, which was organised by Christopher Duffy, John Dallon and James Geoghegan, was attended by hundreds from all over the country. The trio were among the leaders of last April’s protests.

After listening to the many contributions, the organisers said they would submit a document to government with a list of the concerns.

The prospect of further protests was made clear during the meeting, and the crowd indicated willingness to return to the streets if there was no meaningful response from the government in the budget next week.

Opening the meeting, Christopher Duffy said people remained under severe financial pressure and that the cost of fuel was at the centre of many of the difficulties being experienced by households and businesses.

“We’re in a bad place, and the cost of fuel affects virtually every aspect of everyday life,” he told the gathering. “Everything you touch, everything you wear, buy, eat, anything you have, is more expensive because of fuel.”

Mr Duffy said nobody wanted to be out protesting, but that people were being left with little choice.

He also criticised the carbon tax applied to heating oil and said the organisers wanted politicians to explain what they intended to do now.

“If needed, we’ll be back on them roads,” he said, adding that the protesters would not be bullied into abandoning their campaign.

James Geoghegan said he was “absolutely shocked and overwhelmed” by the size of the gathering, referring to the large numbers inside and outside the venue. There was a large outdoor screen displaying the proceedings of the meeting to another large gathering.

“This evening is going to send a massive message to the government that the people of Ireland are absolutely fed up in the way they have been treated over the last couple of years, and it has to stop and it has to change,” he said.

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Mr Geoghegan referred to a recent meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris where he told him that he was spending around €300 per day on carbon tax.

“I said to him, How much carbon tax do you pay a day? He said none,” said Mr Geoghegan.

At the meeting, John Dallon thanked The Well management for giving the venue free of charge, and he further told the meeting that the three organisers were only able to take the serious issues discussed to government because of the people supporting them.

“Ye are the people. You’re the people with the power,” he said. “Protesting was the last thing people wanted to do, but previous action had been necessary to make the government listen.”

Mr Dallon said he was in the process for the “long haul”, and there for the people who are homeless, but not for the wealthy and rich.

“I’m here for the family farm and those that are taxed out of existence,” he said. “This is a rip-off Ireland as regards taxes. I want the government to understand that and respect that. If the government don’t come back to us, after they’ve had time to reflect, (do) you want to hit the roads? Hit the roads. So, we’re asking the government to deliver,” he told the cheering crowd.

Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, said the large turnout demonstrated the level of concern among people.

“There’s one common denominator: ye are hurting,” he said.

He said there was now “a window of opportunity” before the budget for the government to listen to what people were saying.

“It’s our job to listen,” he said, while arguing that opposition politicians also needed to make sure the message from the meeting was heard.

Fine Gael’s Deputy Micheál Carrigy was one of two government representatives present, and he told the gathering that he had come primarily “to listen”.

He said the finance minister had indicated that there would be significant supports in Budget 27 relating to fuel and home heating oil.

Deputy Carrigy said he and Senator Paraic Brady, who was also present, had been discussing the issue and efforts to get supports in place.

Senator Paraic Brady was heckled by some members of the audience, but he got support and even praise from the organisers, who said he was always there to help them when they attempted to talk to the government.

The Fine Gael senator said he understood the “pain” and “hurt” being expressed at the meeting.

“I came here tonight because I am one of you,” he said. “I will stay in communication with the three people at the top table, and I’ll do my best for everybody in this room.”

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín told the gathering he had just left the Garvaghy Road protests in Armagh, and said the fuel meeting organisers campaign had made a significant difference in putting the cost of living issue on the political agenda.

“They have done more than the opposition have done and the opposition are getting paid,” he said.

He referred to the case of an 89-year-old woman who, he said, had spent €850 on 500 litres of fuel, which is three weeks income for her.

Deputy Tóibín argued that the tax on fuel needed to be reduced, including on heating oil, petrol and diesel.

He said the cost of living crisis would not be over until people are able to live feasibly in this country.

Senator Joanne Collins of Sinn Féin apologised for her colleagues Pearse Doherty and Matt Carty not being present because they were at the Garvaghy Road standoff. She too backed the call for action on fuel costs.

“Sinn Féin have brought forward eight pieces of legislation since last March relating to the cost of living crisis and all were shot down by government,” she said. “All we want is to reduce the tax, cut the carbon, and allow people to actually live their lives. The cost of fuel feeds into the price of food and other goods.”

She said she will continue to attend protests if people were forced back to the streets by the failure to reduce costs.

Jackie Flannery of the Irish Rural Association said the concerns being raised were clearly coming from grassroots, and that her association have supported the people of Galway in their protests.

She called for unity among different groups and linked the cost of fuel with concerns about food production and food security.

Former independent councillor Michael O’Brien from Moate said the size of the gathering was a testament to the work of the three organisers and to the level of concern among people.

He called for government representatives to ensure that Taoiseach Simon Harris engaged with the organisers.

“I remember Bertie Ahern coming to the opening of events and various different things, and you'd have protests, small and large and medium-sized. The first thing he did was go to the protesters, and he engaged, and I would call on the government and government representatives that are here today, go back to Simon Harris, and get him to engage. That's his job,” said Mr O’Brien.

South Roscommon activist Mark Francis said the large turnout gave the organisers a mandate to continue representing the people who had attended.

He said the gathering demonstrated that there was strong support for the campaign and while praising the organisers, he said that they now had a clear responsibility to take the concerns expressed in Moate to government.

Towards the end of the meeting, John Dallon asked the gathering for its view on the abolition of carbon tax, receiving a strong response of a show of hands from those present. The organisers said they would now take the demands expressed at the meeting to government.