TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said that “substantial packages” will be announced next week to support the agriculture and transport sectors in light of the rising cost of fuel.

Martin made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Cyprus, where he is currently visiting for an informal meeting of the European Council.

The Taoiseach said the packages will lead to a “significant reduction” in the cost of Marked Gas Oil (MGO), commonly known as green diesel.

After the fuel protests, the government scrambled to announce a €505 million euro support package, slashing excise duties on petrol and diesel.

Tánaiste Simon Harris told the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night that there will be further details on agriculture and transport schemes announced next week.

“The broad outline of schemes have been outlined in terms of support for contractors, farmers, and hauliers” Martin said this evening.

He said the Department of Transport “had their package more or less ready”, and Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon’s will be ready next week.

The Taoiseach said the agriculture package had to be “more or less worked from
scratch”, as the Department didn’t have the experience the Department of Transport had drafting packages during previous crises.

When asked if a “mini budget” will be introduced, or if a cost of living package will be in this year’s Budget, Martin said the government will take a “structured approach to energy costs”.

Speaking earlier today, the Tánaiste ruled out a “mini budget” to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and said it “makes sense” to “prioritise” certain sectors for an intervention.

Martin said that “all of the economic advice has been very strong in terms of targeted measures” to help ease the impact of the rising cost of energy.

“We so far have done a mixture of targeted and universal [measures]. The reduction in excise on diesel and petrol, affects everybody – workers and everybody driving.”

The Taoiseach would not explicitly rule out energy credits appearing in the Budget. “We’re looking at everything in the context of the budget,” he added.

The Taoiseach’s trip to Cyprus follows a brief stop in Greece earlier today to meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Martin and other EU leaders are now in the resort town of Ayia Napa for a working dinner.

Cyprus currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Ireland is set to take over for six months beginning in July.