Sean O’Neill of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said there is disruption around the network.

Among these disruptions is a go-slow in Portlaoise on the M7 on both sides, a go-slow on the M7 in Limerick, the N22 in Macroom in Cork, at the Ennis plaza in Clare on the M18.

“I’m getting reports from Galway as well, in and around, the dock road there’s some real disruption there. So there’s a lot of disruption around the network, and it’s causing a significant disruption to people’s movements,” O’Neill said.

“I would ask that anyone who is on the motorway network to leave the hard shoulder available for emergency vehicles, etc, no matter what your actions. Those lanes need to be available for ambulances, fire and gardaí, and we need to keep those available at all times,” he said.

Our reporter Mairead Maguire is out on the quays, where public transport and private vehicles are experiencing significant delays and disruption. 

Here’s what she had to say:

There’s a lot of huffing and puffing on the quays this morning from commuters and drivers alike.

Traffic was stopped for more 10 minutes on the north side of Millennium bridge.

Mairead Maguire / The Journal Mairead Maguire / The Journal / The Journal

A large number of people appear to have given up on public transport and are now walking to work.

Some were seen on their phones attempting to order a taxi.

Walking down George’s Street, which was relatively quiet for rush hour, you wouldn’t know that just over the river roads are totally jammed.

CEO of Fuels for Ireland Kevin McPartlan criticised some of the tactics used by protesters. Access to fuel terminals in Foynes and Galway “has been totally obstructed” by protests, he said.

“This not only prevents delivery of fuel to forecourts, but more importantly, and by blocking emergency services access, threatens the health and safety of staff in those premises.

“We are disappointed that An Garda Síochána allowed this to occur.”

He said those in Fuels for Ireland “have great empathy for those who feel Government can, and must, intervene to mitigate the impact of high prices across global fuel markets,” he said in the statement.

“The 20c per litre reduction in excise duty has already been almost wiped out by increased commodity costs, and the State is collecting 16c more VAT on every litre of diesel today than on 28 February.

“That said, some of the tactics employed by protestors have been ill-judged.”

Gardaí this morning said slow-moving convoys and significant traffic delays are currently reported at locations including:

• Co Tipperary – M8 Junctions 6-9 Northbound
• Co Limerick – N21 from Adare towards Limerick city; Ballysimon Road
• Co Cork – Macroom bypass in both directions
• Co Dublin – O’Connell Street, O’Connell Bridge, and the north and south quays

Motorists are urged to consider these disruptions when planning their journey.

As a result of the protests blocking O’Connell Street, a number of Dublin Bus services will be diverted.

Services operating southbound from O’Connell Street will divert via Cathal Brugha Street, right on to Marlborough Street, over the Rosie Hackett Bridge, Hawkins Street, then back onto normal route, Dublin Bus said.

Services operating northbound will divert via Fleet Street, Townsend Street, Tara Street, Beresford Place then on to Gardiner Street, back to normal route.

Good morning.

There is significant disruption on roads in Dublin city and elsewhere as protests on rising fuel costs continue. It follows convoys arriving into Dublin yesterday afternoon and parking on O’Connell Street. 

Dublin Bus warned customers in a message this morning that it is “experiencing service disruptions including severe delays across the Dublin Bus network and diversions in the City Centre”.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Blake Boland of Dublin Bus said protestors blocked O’Connell Bridge in the last hour on both sides. This “creates a huge amount of further diversions”.

“There’s very significant disruption,” he said. “O’Connell Street has been closed in both directions now since yesterday, and that’s created a lot of diversions as well.”

We’ll keep you updated this morning.