Irish police clear blockades on oil infrastructure

Irish police on Sunday cleared tractors and trucks that had been blocking traffic and blockading oil infrastructure across the country during a wave of protests against surging fuel prices.



In a bid to ease the discontent, the government announced $586 million worth of spending increases and tax cuts to soften the impact on consumers and businesses.



Protesters, angered by a more than 20% rise in diesel prices since the outbreak of the Iran war, had used vehicles to block an oil refinery, two ports, a fuel terminal and Irish roads.



The protests caused major transport disruption in Dublin and left about a third of Ireland's petrol stations without fuel, creating what Finance Minister Simon Harris described as a "very dangerous moment" for the country.



Police removed vehicles blocking access to Ireland's only oil refinery on Saturday and cleared a blockade of Galway Port, a major fuel depot, and removed roadblocks in Dublin on Sunday.



The government has refused to negotiate with the protesters, who included farmers, drivers and contractors, who complained that an earlier $291 million package to temporarily cut taxes on petrol and diesel did not go far enough.