Blockades of fuel depots in Limerick and Galway, as well as at the country's only refinery in Cork, are starting to lead to fuel shortages countrywide.
Yesterday, service stations in the south and west ran out of diesel and petrol and by this morning more than 100 forecourts had run dry, according to industry body Fuels for Ireland.
RTÉ News understands demand for fuel at service stations is around four times higher than normal, which is putting additional pressure on supplies.
Around half of Ireland's fuel supplies come in via the Foynes depot in Limerick, the Galway harbour depot, and the Whitegate refinery in east Cork.
Most of the rest of the country's fuel enters through Dublin Port, which has not been blockaded, however, traffic disruption around the capital is causing problems with restocking service stations on the east coast.
It is estimated that by tonight around 500 service stations across the country - not just in the south or west - could run out of stock.
Industry sources believe there is now a real risk of widespread stockout conditions at the weekend and into next week.
It is understood that even if the fuel blockades end today and normal supply lines are restored, it could take up to a week to restore normal fuel supply levels on forecourts across the country.
The blockades are also having a significant knock-on effect on incoming fuel cargo, as terminals cannot be emptied to free up space for fuel coming in via ocean tankers.
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Source: This article was originally published by RTÉ News
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