Around 600 Irish forecourts run dry due to protest
Published on: Apr 16, 2026
Industry body Fuels for Ireland warned the situation could worsen without swift police intervention.
Around 600 of Ireland's approximately 1,600 forecourts have run out of fuel following days of blockades at key supply infrastructure, with industry body Fuels for Ireland warning the situation could worsen without swift police intervention.
The disruptions center on three facilities: the Foynes depot in Limerick, the Galway harbour depot, and the Whitegate refinery in County Cork (Ireland's only oil refinery) which together account for around half of the country's fuel supply, reports RTÉ.
"If everything remains as it is… I don't think we could guarantee fuel at any forecourt by very early next week," Fuels for Ireland CEO Kevin McPartlan told RTE, urging the public not to panic buy. He added that Ireland has sufficient fuel in storage but that terminal access is essential to restore distribution, and that restocking could take up to a week once routes are cleared.
The NECG warned that fuel supplies for emergency vehicles including ambulances and fire services were coming under increasing pressure, while Police Commissioner Justin Kelly described the actions as illegal blockades of critical infrastructure endangering public safety.
Prime Minister Micheál Martin subsequently announced a €505 million support package to address the cost-of-living pressures underlying the protests.
