Trump Culture has arrived in O Connell Street,

[Villaines]

Let's give it a bit of context, and using the government's own published figures. https://www.whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie/en/2026/

https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/7faebdb2/Budget_in_Brief_Your_Guide_to_Budget_2026.pdf

So, the amount of Income Tax we expect to raise in 2026 (€38.8bn) is less than the combined amount we will be spending solely on social welfare (€28.9bn) and housing (€11.4bn).

And before you go off on one, this does not include the €2.7bn that the Justice ministry is spending on Migration.

All told, the cost of running the country has almost doubled between 2026 (€133.3bn) and 2015 (€70.4bn).

Do your own research, but my belief is that the government is recklessly spending, that we have indoctrinated a belief that working people should not have a better standard of living than people on social welfare, and a belief that there is no end to the amount of taxes that can be found to pay for anything. We have a culture of - we do the right thing, regardless of cost.

Well, that cost falls on somebody. And the people most likely to truly bare the brunt of it are the lower earning, less well educated people that work in the private sector and fund their own housing and pay their own bills.

And from what I can tell, those are the type of people that are behind this protest.

 

[Howth Head]

We really are in new territory when an establishment journalist/broadcaster, not known for straying very far from mainstream political consensus kickstarts this debate. The beginning of the end of the Green agenda and net-zero policy?

Matt Cooper: Here’s a solution, axe the carbon tax

www.businesspost.ie

What benefit are carbon taxes doing to the promotion of the environmental agenda or changing the behaviours of consumers? Has making carbon more expensive led to any real decrease in emissions?

Carbon taxes in Ireland are in danger of becoming counter-productive, however. They are perceived – even if this is incorrect - by many to be unfair or even useless, a cost burden imposed without affordable alternatives. That does not help the essential agenda to combat the impact of global warming.

It is one of this country’s great hypocrisies that we are prepared to import nuclear energy generated elsewhere – via interconnector – but have a ban on the generation of our own nuclear power within the island.

The current government is considering a more realistic position with Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers pushing for nuclear to be possible as part of Ireland’s future energy mix. He wants a policy debate on the existing ban, brought in under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999. Good luck with that.

Instead we will continue with our hypocrisy, let other people in other countries live beside the power plants, and we’ll buy nuclear generated power via interconnector.

 

[Howth Head]

I would give them an hour to start preparing to move away - or else bring in the water canons

Gosh - I must have even more influence than Tommy Robinson on these matters!

Garda water cannon arrives in Cork as fuel protests declared 'national exceptional event'

Two water cannons have been scrambled, one of which was dispatched to cover the southern region — including Whitegate Co Cork, Foynes Port in Limerick, and Rosslare Port, Co Wexford

www.irishexaminer.com

 

[Purple]

Well, that cost falls on somebody. And the people most likely to truly bare the brunt of it are the lower earning, less well educated people that work in the private sector and fund their own housing and pay their own bills.

And from what I can tell, those are the type of people that are behind this protest.

I agree with most of your post but welfare and grants make up the majority of farmers incomes and most people on low incomes are recipients of welfare payments in one form or another. Most welfare is paid to working households and just about all low and middle income families are net recipients from the State, as in more is spent on them than they contribute.

 

[Purple]

I was on the M50 this morning at 6.30 heading North. My exit at Blanchardstown was closed so I had to drive past the blockade and exit at Finglas.
No group of protesters should be allowed to disrupt the country like that.

 

[galway]

I just cannot understand what is keeping contractors out protesting surely the can see they are been used by the ringleaders after the first day,
In fact I would say halfway trough the first day,

 

[Purple]

I just cannot understand what is keeping contractors out protesting surely the can see they are been used by the ringleaders after the first day,
In fact I would say halfway trough the first day,

Maybe part of it is pig headed stupidity and a victim complex.

 

[Sister Sara]

Disappointing no resolution found yesterday.

I do think the protestors have made a stupid mistake with blocking the refinery. That is the nuclear option and they went straight for it.

Govt have made mistakes too. The notice to the Defence forces has only emboldened and entrenched the protestors going by what I hear them saying.
It was a stupid mistake not to facilitate two protesters at the meeting yesterday, even as silent observers.

Another stupid mistake is not to detail the measure of packages that the government now says are coming but only after the end of the protest.

Although listening to IFA those measures were not meaningful enough to end the protestors demands.

Personally, I do not have any issue with the carbon tax on diesel being abolished in sectors where there is no readily available commercial alternative to replace diesel machinery with electric machinery. I think a common sense approach would recognise this.

The govt has its projections on how much it will take in on taxes from diesel and petrol. Because of the stupid war on Iran the intake will far exceed expectations. If so, that additional in-take could be used to keep prices down.

 

[odyssey06]

Latest from RTE - Saturday lunchtime:
There has been a significant escalation in the garda operation in Whitegate, east Cork.
Members of the Public Order Unit have deployed pepper spray as they push protestors back in an effort to gain entry to the oil refinery.

Units belong to the Defence Forces have just arrived in Whitegate in east Cork.
One of the units is a medium duty tilt recovery vehicle that is used for transporting large-sized vehicles.

 

[Purple]

Personally, I do not have any issue with the carbon tax on diesel being abolished in sectors where there is no readily available commercial alternative to replace diesel machinery with electric machinery. I think a common sense approach would recognise this.

So I'm here with the protesters on O'Connell Street in Dublin and their demands are quite clear; they want a different taxation system on diesel intended for agricultural, horticultural, construction, and marine (commercial fishing) purposes, generally all off-road commercial activities, and they suggest that it is dyed green so that it is identifiable and then call it green diesel.

They also a rebate system for Hauliers so that they can claim back a good chunk of the tax they pay on their diesel.

Yes, that would keep them happy...

Oh, hang on, there's more... yes, we must also get oil wells pumping in the Barryroe Oil Field, despite that fact that the oil (that might not be there at all) is 2 kilometres under the seabed 50Km+ offshore and so far no attempts to find a commercial well have been successful. That's actually the fault of those refugees in the IPAs centres so kick them out too... and global warming is a hoax so get rid of the carbon tax (that's a Jewish conspiracy don't you know).

Okay, we are clear now, in summary all they want is to increase the subsidy of diesel in the form of an open ended guarantee of a price cap, and to close the IPAS Centres, kick out the refugees, cut our meger supports to Ukraine, and... the gays and Trans people must be to blame as well... give me a minute...what's that, refugee gays? Black gays? Trans black refugee gays? Trans black Jewish (or Muslim) refugee gays... sorry, I can't quite hear everyone... there might be more... there's a few nutters down the back who haven't had their say yet...

 

[Purple]

Latest from RTE - Saturday lunchtime:
There has been a significant escalation in the garda operation in Whitegate, east Cork.
Members of the Public Order Unit have deployed pepper spray as they push protestors back in an effort to gain entry to the oil refinery.

Units belong to the Defence Forces have just arrived in Whitegate in east Cork.
One of the units is a medium duty tilt recovery vehicle that is used for transporting large-sized vehicles.

Great news.

 

[Sister Sara]

Yes, that would keep them happy...

And back in the real world from the fantasy wish-list, if the govt publish a reasonable set of proposals...among them, the abolishment of carbon taxes on diesel machinery where no viable commercial electric alternative exists - then it puts the ball back in the protestors court.

At the moment the protestors do appear to have more than a significant amount of support and sympathy from the public. If they continue with the protests in the face of a reasonable compromise from government the public will turn against them quickly.

The govt, through early notice to Defence Forces, failing to facilitate protestors at the meeting yesterday, and not publishing any new proposals are not making any headway into resolving the matter reasonably, quickly and most of all, peacefully.

 

[Purple]

And back in the real world from the fantasy wish-list, if the govt publish a reasonable set of proposals

There are already a reasonable set of proposals in place. The Road Hauliers were happy with what they got last time.

...among them, the abolishment of carbon taxes on diesel machinery where no viable commercial electric alternative exists - then it puts the ball back in the protestors court.

The purpose of a carbon tax is to cause market a societal change. Climate Change is the single biggest economic, environmental, societal and security challenge the world is facing. We absolutely need to have carbon taxes.

At the moment the protestors do appear to have more than a significant amount of support and sympathy from the public. If they continue with the protests in the face of a reasonable compromise from government the public will turn against them quickly.

The govt, through early notice to Defence Forces, failing to facilitate protestors at the meeting yesterday, and not publishing any new proposals are not making any headway into resolving the matter reasonably, quickly and most of all, peacefully.

There is nobody to talk to and no coherent list of demands so no reasonable accommodation is available.

 

[Sister Sara]

There are already a reasonable set of proposals in place. The Road Hauliers were happy with what they got last time.

The IHRA recommended the proposal to its members. Its not clear to me if its members accepted those proposals or if its members are not partaking in this protest.

Climate Change is the single biggest economic, environmental, societal and security challenge the world is facing. We absolutely need to have carbon taxes.

The suggestion was for carbon taxes to be abolished on diesel machinery used for commercial purposes where no viable commercial electric alternative exists - in Ireland!

This is big carrot for the protestors, and a drop in the ocean for the survival of the world!

There is nobody to talk to and no coherent list of demands so no reasonable accommodation is available.

The opportunity was there yesterday to have two representatives attend the meeting yesterday. The onus would have been on them to present a coherent list of demands. The onus would have been on them to then explain to their protesters, and to the public at large, what they proposed and how it was received.

 

[Sister Sara]

The blockade has been broken and lines of trucks leaving the Whitegate Refinery.

*now stood down.

Some reports of arrests and use of pepper-spray, so it is good news that the protestors have stood the protest down rather than confront the authorities.

Common sense will know that the government have received the message that there is an underbelly of working people providing vital services that are struggling to make ends meet.

The hauliers, farmers and fishers (i've learnt they are protesting too) have shown their muscle and in fairness to them the rest of us would be minded to consider the value they bring to the smooth functioning of the economy and society as a whole.

I listened to one fisherman who spoke of €100 loss per day as a consequence of price increases. He described it as a days wages, and no-one can afford to lose a day's wages every day. A lot of these people have invested heavily in machinery to bring the food to our tables.

I spent sometime many years ago working for a few months with representatives of the fishing industry to work on h&s and working standards. It is a fascinating industry by itself, but as a livelihood it is a whole different world altogether from on-land work.
Probably the toughest, hardest working job there is in my opinion.

If they are protesting and protesting to this extent, we all need to listen.

 

[DannyBoyD]

no-one can afford to lose a day's wages

But they can afford to lose a weeks income & sit on the roads instead?

 

[odyssey06]

But they can afford to lose a weeks income & sit on the roads instead?

They are complaining about the cost of fuel yet can burn fuel 'protesting' in slow convoys.

Self discrediting nonsense.

 

[Purple]

Protests again this morning. More and more this is just an anti democratic mob protesting on a Twitteresque bag of tropes.

Pearse Doherty was on the radio this morning supporting the protesters and the blockades. I suppose it would be hypocritical of the Shinners to oppose an unelected secret organisation terrorising the Public and seeking to subvert democracy since their real leadership are cut from that cloth.

 

[Purple]

a livelihood it is a whole different world altogether from on-land work.

Yep, when I hear people like teachers saying they have a hard job I laugh and think about sea fishermen.

 

[galway]

Protests again this morning. More and more this is just an anti democratic mob protesting on a Twitteresque bag of tropes.

Pearse Doherty was on the radio this morning supporting the protesters and the blockades. I suppose it would be hypocritical of the Shinners to oppose an unelected secret organisation terrorising the Public and seeking to subvert democracy since their real leadership are cut from that cloth

What I haven't Figured out yet for the most part the protestors DNA is FG and FF not SF,
In fact I am pretty sure a local contractor who is only today arriving home with his machinery has spent quite a lot of time out canvasing for FF as long as I have known him,