Blockades cost ‘millions of euro’

The postponement of last weekend’s Ronnie Hawe Monaghan Stages Rally due to road transport disruption arising from the fuel protests has seen “millions of euro” lost to the Monaghan Town economy, Fine Gael councillor Alan Johnston told Monday’s meeting of Monaghan County Council.

Cllr Johnston said he has been contacted by one business, which claimed it had lost over €150,000 in anticipated revenue over the weekend due to the deferral of the rally, regarded as one of the major events in the County Monaghan sporting calendar and of significant importance to the hospitality sector due to the weekend influx of competitors, officials and spectators.

Hosts Monaghan Motor Club announced the postponement on the eve of the scheduled Sunday event, citing “significant logistical challenges caused by road blockades both nationwide and within Monaghan” affecting competitors, marshals, officials and suppliers.

Cllr Johnston made this and other comments about the protests when moving a motion asking the council to call on Minister for Finance Simon Harris to introduce cost of living and cost of business supports due to the impact of the Iran war on energy prices.

Praise for gardaí

When the Fine Gael councillor opened his comments by commending the Gardaí for dealing with the blockades of the county’s roads in a very professional manner in sensitive circumstances, and praising the work of the local authority executive and fire and emergency service personnel, he was asked by the Cathaoirleach, Cllr P.J. O’Hanlon (FF), to stick to the terms of the motion given that an emergency Sinn Féin motion on the protests was due to be debated later.

Continuing, Cllr Johnston said he had tabled the motion on behalf of the Fine Gael councillors in advance of any protests, and he was already on record stating that additional supports were required for farmers and agricultural contractors.

Businesses, particularly in Monaghan Town, he added, are now counting the cost of the blockades. Referring to the rally postponement, he said “millions of euro” had been lost over a weekend customarily one of the busiest in the town. He also stated that many hard-working people could not access their workplaces and junior sporting events were cancelled.

Cllr Johnston said, when some councillors were supporting those blockading the road network, he was meeting with businesses impacted by the blockades. A hotel proprietor had told him his premises had 150 people booked in for Saturday night but ended up with only 15 guests.

Exam practicals

He said practical examinations for Junior and Leaving Certificate students were deferred, adding to the exam stress on the students. Emergency vehicles got through the blockades but were delayed in their response times, and, in cases where seconds counted such as fires, he believed people’s lives were put at risk.

The Cathaoirleach again asked Cllr Johnston to stick to the terms of his motion, remarking he had to be “fair”.

Cllr Johnston continuing, said Gardaí occupied with the blockades were prevented from carrying out duties in other important areas and much of their normal work to keep people safe didn’t happen.

His party colleague Sean Gilliland said he fully supported the motion and wanted to second it.

There was enormous untold disruption from the blockades and he thought the Council was entitled to have this discussion as it was an economic forum given its rates base. “Some businesses got badly hurt and can’t recover from that,” he stated.

In light of the Cathaoirleach’s comments, Cllr Johnston offered to defer the motion, but Cllr O’Hanlon said he was ruling that the motion was effectively being withdrawn because the cost of living and business supports it called for had already been introduced by the Government.

“I don’t disagree with what Cllr Johnston said,” the Cathaoirleach commented, “but this is not coming in through the back door.”

Electricity prices

A second motion by Cllr Johnston, seconded by Cllr Gilliland, which called on Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien TD to review the current electricity pricing structure, was unanimously adopted.

The motion asked Minister O’Brien to eliminate the market clearing price so that cheaper energy producers could pass on savings to their customers.

Cllr Johnston said that, currently, Irish energy prices are based on the most expensive source required to meet demand. Given that Ireland relies heavily on natural gas for energy production, wholesale electricity prices strongly track global gas market fluctuations.

“This results in customers of cheaper produced energy such as renewables paying a disproportionately high electricity price compared to its production costs,” he stated.