Frustration and anger over the rising cost of fuel and the cost of living were voiced at a public meeting in Moate this evening (Sunday, September 27).

Billed as a meeting "to hear directly from people about how the energy crisis is affecting their lives", it was organised by a group that had been involved in the fuel protests earlier this year.

Farmers, business owners, hauliers, contractors and people living in rural communities were among the attendees of the "national fuel/cost of living crisis meeting" held in Moate.

A number of politicians from across the political spectrum also attended the meeting in Co. Westmeath with some adding to the calls to government to reduce fuel costs.

At times highly charged, the meeting gave attendees an opportunity to speak openly about their concerns, with many highlighting the financial pressures they are facing as fuel costs continue to rise.

Organisers opened the floor to allow people to share their experiences and outline the impact of rising fuel prices on their livelihoods, businesses and day-to-day lives.

The former president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), Sean McNamara, also attended and spoke at the meeting as did Eamon Corley from the Beef Plan Movement.

According to the organisers of the meeting - James Geoghegan, John Dallon and Christopher Duffy - the next step is to bring proposals to government based on the public feedback they have received this evening.

They said one of their key messages to government will be that "people have had enough" and warned that people would be out on "the roads" if fuel prices did not come down.

The organisers have previously outlined some of their demands to government including:

Extending or increasing the current excise-duty reductions;
Removing/reducing carbon tax on fuel;
Extending fuel rebates/supports to sectors currently excluded;
Particular help for hauliers, farmers, agricultural contractors and other fuel-dependent businesses.

Farmer support scheme

Earlier this year, fuel protests and blockades took place across the country as protesters warned soaring energy costs were making businesses unviable.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, confirmed in the Dáil last week that the fuel support scheme for farmers would be extended.

The Tánaiste said: “We were all at the ploughing last week, we heard very clearly three issues; fuel, fodder and fertiliser. I call them the three ‘F’s".

He pledged that there would be support for farmers with fodder and fertiliser, and that the government was “now working to extend the fuel support scheme for farmers”.

Separately in a statement to Agriland, last week the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, also said: “I understand that fuel prices are still high and the price of green diesel is elevated which is hard on farmers.

"That’s why I’m working on a second tranche of payments for the agri-sector as part of our ongoing budget negotiations."

Unprecedented increases

The Fuel Income Support Scheme was introduced by the government as a "targeted income support to assist farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers facing unprecedented increases in fuel costs".

Last month, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that €25.21 million had been paid out under the scheme by August 21.

The department said that a total of 30,604 farmers and contractors had received payments under the scheme.