Leaders of the group that organised fuel protests across the country in April urged Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris to remove carbon taxes and extend rebates when they met him on Friday.
It is understood the group bought tickets for a planned Fine Gael event in Navan, Co Meath, on Friday, which was attended by Harris.
James Geoghegan, an agricultural contractor from Westmeath who emerged as a spokesman during the fuel protest in April, said that the group had given a submission to the Tánaiste at the breakfast event in Navan.
Geoghegan said they had urged the Government to remove carbon taxes from all fuel during the current cost-of-living crisis.
RM Block
He said there were also categories of people who had been left out of the previous fuel rebate scheme put in place by the Government.
He said these included individuals in the plant hire sector, as well as operators of lorries that did not require a haulage licence. He said the scheme should also include people who had only recently entered the sector and could not avail of rebates as the arrangements put in place by Government were based on 2025 invoices.
Geoghegan said Harris had listened to them, taken their document and said he would consider it.
The engagement with the Tánaiste took place as a large gathering of those concerned about recent rises in fuel costs is scheduled to take place in Moate, Co Westmeath, on Sunday. The event is also expected to be attended by Opposition politicians.
Earlier this week, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) president Ger Hyland warned that his members “cannot sustain” current fuel prices caused by the Iran war.
His organisation also met Harris earlier this week.
Hyland later told The Irish Times that the discussions had been “robust”, but the Government side was “non-committal for now”.
He said: “The budget isn’t sorted yet. It’s a work in progress, and we will be keeping the pressure on between now and the budget for proper supports for this industry.”
In April this year, convoys of trucks, tractors and coaches brought traffic to a standstill in more than 25 towns and cities across the country in protest at rising fuel costs.
While some IRHA members took part in those protests, the association itself was not behind the action and was in separate talks with the Government at the time.
The Tánaiste did not comment on his meeting on Friday.
Government sources indicated the group had bought a table at the Fine Gael event and that Harris had spoken to everyone in the room at the party event in Navan.
