Photograph: CollinsHealth services prioritised emergency and time-sensitive care on Friday as the continued fuel protests disrupted patients and staff around the country. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Health Service Executive chief Anne O’Connor this week called for approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear for emergency service access. Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien confirmed fuel distribution has become “absolutely critical” to the point that “the fire and emergency services . “Critical services, including emergency care, urgent patient transport and time‑sensitive treatments (eg dialysis, oncology, complex paediatric cases, bowel care, urgent care etc.) This cannot continue.”[ ‘It’s blackmailing society’: We ask Irish Times readers how fuel protests are impacting themOpens in new window ]

Source: The Irish Times April 10, 2026 19:46 UTC