Ministers and representatives from the haulage and farming industries are due to meet today at 1 o’clock to negotiate a new package of fuel supports.
It follows a five-hour meeting yesterday between representatives and Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon, Energy and Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien and Junior Ministers Michael Healy Rae, Noel Grealish and Timmy Dooley.
It comes as nationwide fuel protests enter a fifth day, with around 500 of the country's 1 thousand 600 filling stations out of petrol and diesel.
An Garda Síochána has declared the protests an 'exceptional event', allowing for the cancellation of rest days and leave, and the deployment of extra resources.
Ger Hyland, the Irish Road Haulage Association President, says people have legitimate reasons to protest:
