The public has been urged to buy only the fuel they need, as blockades across the country are causing supply problems for emergency services.
The National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) met today to assess the impact of the blockades, which form part of ongoing protests over fuel prices.
In a statement this evening, the NECG said fuel supplies for emergency response vehicles, including ambulances and fire services, are coming under increasing pressure due to the blockades.
It noted that these emergency vehicles depend on retail fuel forecourts and use fuel cards to refuel.
Fire services across Ireland have introduced contingency measures to cope with the restricted fuel availability. Non-essential activities such as training and responses to non-life-threatening call-outs are being scaled back to conserve fuel.
The NECG was also briefed on serious concerns about the effect of fuel shortages on the National Ambulance Service (NAS). Contingency arrangements have been activated to manage the situation. While the NAS continues to respond to 999 calls and life-threatening or clinically urgent incidents, inter-hospital transfers and routine ambulance transport for non-urgent care and discharges are being reduced.
More than 100 fuel stations nationwide are currently out of supply, with the number potentially rising to 500 today.
The NECG also heard growing concern from international shipping companies about their ability to offload fuel at some Irish ports, with operations being closely monitored due to the delays.
Blockades at fuel depots in Limerick and Galway, along with the country’s only refinery in Cork, are now triggering widespread fuel shortages.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the blockades have left Ireland on the precipice of turning oil tankers away from the country at a time of global oil supply pressures. He highlighted an oil tanker off the coast of Galway carrying 6 million litres of agri and white diesel plus kerosene for home heating, which cannot offload because depot tanks are full due to the ongoing blockade. The Whitegate refinery in Cork remains blockaded.
Martin described the situation as unconscionable, illogical, and difficult to comprehend.
Yesterday, service stations in the south and west began running out of diesel and petrol. By this morning, more than 100 forecourts had run dry, according to industry body Fuels for Ireland.
Demand at service stations is understood to be around four times higher than normal, adding further strain to supplies.
Around half of Ireland’s fuel supplies normally enter via the Foynes depot in Limerick, the Galway harbour depot, and the Whitegate refinery in east Cork. Most of the remainder comes through Dublin Port, which has not been blockaded, but traffic disruption in the capital is hindering restocking of east coast stations.
It is estimated that by tonight around 500 service stations nationwide could be out of stock.
Industry sources warn of a real risk of widespread shortages this weekend and into next week.
Even if the blockades end today and normal supply lines resume, it could take up to a week for forecourts across the country to return to normal fuel levels.
The blockades are also preventing terminals from being emptied, which means there is no space to receive incoming fuel cargoes from ocean tankers.
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