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In the face of economically crippling anti-fuel tax demonstrations across Ireland, the neo-liberal government in Dublin announced a last-minute emergency support package on Sunday evening in an apparent bid to pay off key sectors of the protest movement.<\/p>\n
With Ireland\u2019s fuel stations running out of petrol and diesel throughout the country as a result of farmer and trucker-led protests, which have blockaded the nation\u2019s only refinery, and its depots over the past week, Prime Minister Miche\u00e1l Martin announced on Sunday a \u20ac505 million ($590) emergency fund to mitigate against energy spikes amid the Iran conflict, the Irish Independent<\/em> reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n This comes on top of a \u20ac250 million package released last month, and a \u20ac1.2 billion cost-of-living package after the initial energy crisis was sparked by Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognise and understand the pressures that have arisen due to rising fuel costs on all families and businesses. I am very conscious that we must support people, protect key services and make critical investments. This package is a significant response to real pressures,\u201d Martin said<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to the financial subsidies, the government also announced Sunday that it would delay increases to the carbon tax, scheduled for next month, to October.<\/p>\n The unpopular tax was set to particularly impact Irish farmers through hikes on agri-diesel despite the reality that there are currently no viable electric alternatives for the heavy machinery needed to produce the nation\u2019s food supply.<\/p>\n The latest support package includes a specific scheme to help struggling truckers, with a mechanism put in place to lower fuel costs for\u00a0licensed hauliers should the price of diesel rise above\u00a0\u20ac1.90-a-litre in April or May.<\/p>\n