PROTESTORS are to stay on the M18 in Co Clare overnight with disruptions to enter a fourth day across the roads of the county.
A mobile home caravan has been delivered to individuals involved in the fuel crisis protest allowing them to camp overnight on the M18. Both sides of the M18 have been blocked with no access between Quin, Dromoland and Newmarket-on-Fergus southbound or between Dromoland and Quin northbound to Ennis.
With three days of disruptions along the roads of Co Clare with parts of the M18 blocked forcing motorists and commuters onto backroads where congestion has followed, organisers in the county have committed to continue their demonstration.
“We’re staying out, we’re going nowhere,” said Ballynacally native, Cathal O’Donoghue of C&C Executive Travel when confirming they would continue their demonstration on Friday.
Thursday saw the delivery of portaloos and a mobile home for protestors as they signalled their intent that they were not moving and locking down.
Nationally, organisers have said there has been a “breakthrough” in talks. Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time, fuel protest organiser James Geoghegan said there will be talks with Government at around 2pm on Friday with the IFA and the official hauliers’ association also in attendance along with protest organisers. He said “in the last few minutes” protesters were pulled off O’Connell Bridge and that kerosene oil has been released from the refineries.
He has also come under fire for comments offering little sympathy to cancer and dialysis patients when he remarked, “sure if there was a crash they would miss their appointment as well”.
Disruptions will continue and in Co Clare there are no signs that those involved in mounting road blocks have any intention of bowing down.
Provided by a Bunratty company, the mobile home is in situ at junction 11 of the M18 in Newmarket-on-Fergus allowing protestors to stay overnight on the national primary route.
