Government to announce fuel support scheme

The government has unveiled a €500 million fuel support scheme aimed at assisting key sectors affected by recent fuel price hikes and protests. The package targets agriculture, quarries, haulage, construction, and fisheries, providing financial aid to up to 120,000 farmers and 1,500 full-time agricultural contractors. Payments will cover fuel costs from March through July, with applications expected to open in mid-May and disbursements to follow shortly after. The scheme, which includes an effective reduction of €274 per 1,000 litres of green diesel when combined with earlier excise cuts, was expanded to include quarry and construction site vehicles following a government meeting. The transport component alone is valued at €120 million over three months. Ministers for Agriculture and Transport, Martin Heydon and Darragh O’Brien, are set to provide further details and brief lawmakers amid concerns from rural backbench TDs about potential exclusions and bureaucratic hurdles. The announcement comes in response to widespread fuel protests and blockades that disrupted the country three weeks ago. While the Irish Road Haulage Association has welcomed the support, the government remains cautious about the reactions from other affected groups. Opposition parties have criticized the move as a rehash of previously agreed measures and are expected to press for additional emergency budgetary interventions for households and workers during upcoming parliamentary sessions. The government hopes the new support package will stabilize the situation and avoid the need for further fuel-related measures before the October Budget. However, the ongoing political debate underscores the challenges in balancing immediate relief with longer-term fiscal planning amid rising fuel costs and public discontent.