*Photograph: Joe Buckley
SERVICE STATIONS in Co Clare are running out of fuel as a consequence of the ongoing protests across the country disrupting the flow of access for businesses and the general public.
Fuel distributors have reported difficult in navigating the roads of the country and have been unable to supply service stations in Clare and beyond with diesel and petrol.
Rationing has been introduced in some locations of the county whereby motorists are limited to topping up fuel to a cap of €50.
Panic buying has also been evident across Co Clare with motorists topping up their tanks for fear supply is impacted more servely over the coming days.
Circle K service stations in Ennistymon, Lissycasey and Shannon were among those to run out of fuel. Supply has also run out in Liscannor and service stations across Ennis.
While The Banner Plaza has been the meeting point for protestors, their actions have led to the Brian Boru Plaza in Tuamgraney running out of diesel, as of 18:30 on Thursday evening. Lakefield Service Station in Corofin which had been one of the first in Clare to run out of fuel received new petrol and diesel on Thursday evening.
Newmarket-on-Fergus has seen a spike in traffic due to the road blocks mounted by protestors forcing commuters off the M18 and into the village. Halpin’s Service Station, the village’s only service station has ran out of fuel and was forced to close as a result on Thursday.
Similarly Sixmilebridge’s only service station, Crowe’s at the Ministers Cross in Sixmilebridge also ran out of fuel on Thursday.
The Clare Echo understands that fuel distributors have been instructed to ration the amount of fuel they are giving to service stations due to the continued uncertainty with refineries blocked by fuel protestors in Cork, Galway and Dublin.
