Emergency vehicles are running out of fuel, while critical care and medicines for patients are under threat, as the nationwide fuel protests enter day four. On Thursday, thousands of people flocked to stations that still had fuel to panic buy ahead of the weekend. Mr O’Callaghan appealed to protesters to lift their blockades and warned that the Defence Forces “remain on standby” to move demonstrations blocking critical infrastructure. It also spoke of the impact on people seeking to attend medical appointments, adding that there are impacts on home care and other critical care services such as dialysis and cancer care. “I would ask people involved in the protests to cease their protests,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

Source: Irish Examiner April 10, 2026 03:00 UTC