World Business Report Fuel protests cause disruption on Ireland's roads
Apr 10, 2026
Randeep Somal, M&G fund manager on inflation and energy markets. Sarah Girvan, BBC Ireland correspondent reporting on fuel price protests and road blockages. Rabi Fakhredin, hospitality CEO from the Middle East on tourism and operations. They discuss shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Ireland road blockades, Gulf hospitality rebounds, airline strikes and market reactions to rising energy costs.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Strait Of Hormuz Closure Deeply Reduces Tanker Traffic
- The Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed, with only three oil tankers crossing in 24 hours versus about 140 normally.
- Kepler and Lloyd's List Intelligence data link the closure to widespread economic pain including higher fuel costs in Europe, notably Ireland.
Farmers And Hauliers Bring Dublin To Standstill
- Irish farmers, contractors and haulage drivers parked lorries and tractors across O'Connell Street, blocking major roads for four days.
- Protesters slept in vehicles and forced people to walk motorways to reach Dublin Airport, showing severe travel disruption.
Government May Reclassify Protests To Enable Action
- The Irish Minister for Justice warned protests could be legally reclassified as blockades and asked the army to move vehicles from fuel depots.
- Authorities signalled enforcement as a response to sustained infrastructure disruption.