Illegal activity by fuel protesters is "endangering the state", Irish police chief Justin Kelly said Saturday, as public order units were deployed to clear people blockading an oil refinery.
Garda Commissioner Kelly told reporters the blockading of "critical national infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries" had "resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service".
The protests began on Tuesday over spiralling petrol and diesel prices amid the Middle East war.
Protesters partly blockaded Ireland's only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots.
Demonstrators, many organising online outside of formal representative bodies, also used convoys on motorways to snarl traffic and tractors to gridlock central Dublin on occasions.
Industry group Fuels for Ireland said that 100 petrol retailers had run dry, mainly in the west of Ireland, after customers started panic buying.
Kelly said law enforcers, supported by armed forces personnel, moved in earlier Saturday to "restore fuel supplies from Whitegate Refinery", using pepper spray and making a number of arrests.
"In the coming hours and days we will have further such operations," he added.
In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road hauliers.
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the continuation of the protests despite the increasingly difficult had been "unacceptable".
"While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner," he said.
There were now the "bones of an agreement" with the government, the president of the Irish Road Haulage Association said.
Ger Hyland said nothing was yet agreed but his association remained available for further talks.
"It is a substantial package and we hope to have this over the line either late tonight or tomorrow," he added.
(AFP)