Share
The Agenda
Impact of Fuel Crisis on Local Construction Companies in Meath & Louth - 14/04/2026
•
Fuel prices, protests, and growing pressure on businesses — it’s been a turbulent week across Ireland, with road blockades and demonstrations highlighting just how strongly people are feeling about the rising cost of fuel, driven in part by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
But beyond the disruption on our roads, there are wider knock-on effects beginning to take hold — particularly in industries that rely heavily on transport, machinery, and materials.
The construction sector is one of those feeling the strain. From the cost of moving supplies to powering equipment on site, volatility in fuel prices is now creating real uncertainty for projects and companies, both locally and nationally.
So what does this mean in practical terms? Are building projects at risk of delay? And could this add further pressure to an already stretched housing supply?
We were joined on The Agenda this morning by a representative from the Construction Industry Federation, Meabh Smith (who is also a Meath resident), and Meabh has been speaking directly with companies across the region to get a sense of how serious the situation has become.
More episodes
View all episodes
**SHOCKING**: Nurses Travelling to Work in Groups to Avoid Racist Abuse - 14/04/2026
07:02|Nurses are now travelling in groups to and from work to try and avoid racially motivated abuse, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said.The claim by the INMO comes after new figures show that hospital staff have been subjected to racial abuse or prejudice on almost 200 occasions in the past five years.Figures released to The Journal Investigates by the HSE show that the number of incidents of discrimination, prejudice or racial abuse aimed at staff has risen each year, peaking with 59 reports last yearMost of the 183 incidents recorded since the start of 2021 are classified as ‘negligible’, with 19 deemed minor in nature, although the HSE said that “any incident that impacts any member of staff is unacceptable.”Investigative Journalist at The Journal Investigates, Noel Baker, joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more about this.
Fine Gael TD Says Government "Did All They Could" During Fuel Protests - 14/04/2026
17:28|A Fine Gael backbencher has defended the government's action on fuel protests.Protests will take place today outside the Dail by hauliers and farmers.The coalition has come in for criticism for how it handled both fuel prices and protests.This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Fine Gael TD Barry Ward, who told us that the government "did what they could".We also spoke to Sinn Fein TD for Louth, Ruairi O Murchu, who beleives the Government handled the whole thing terribly.We also discussed the motion of no confidence being tabled by Sinn Fein today due to the Gorvernments handling of the fuel protests.
Meath-West TD Says Government's Handling of Fuel Crisis Has Been a 'Fiasco' - 13/04/2026
07:39|Aontú leader and Meath-West TD Peadar Tóibín has said that the government's handling of the crisis has been 'a fiasco'.He says they're going to come under fierce pressure in this week's motion of no confidence.Deputy Toibin joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.
‘We Just Want to Be Heard,’ Says Louth Fuel Protester - 13/04/2026
11:01|A business owner in Louth has said fellow fuel protesters “want to be heard” as disruption and delays on Irish motorways continued over the weekend.Shane Bowhan, who operates a small minibus company, said he was joining the demonstration because the rise in fuel prices is “just not viable”.HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Government’s response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.Protests that began as slow-moving convoys have escalated to include the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork.Shane says that the Government needs to “step up and admit that there’s a problem”.Shane joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.
Meath Minister Reacts to Motion of No Confidence in Government Due to Their Handling of Fuel Protests - 13/04/2026
09:41|This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence & Meath-East Fianna Fail TD, Thomas Byrne, who gave us his reaction to Sinn Fein’s motion of no confidence in Government over their handling of the fuel protests.
Meath Sinn Féin TD on Tabling Motion of No Confidence in Government Over Fuel Protests - 13/04/2026
17:56|Sinn Fein is to table a motion of no confidence in the government over its handling of the fuel protests.The party’s TDs and Senators met over the weekend to decide its next action, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald labelling the handling of the protests and wider fuel pressures as “disastrous”.Shortly after Sinn Féin’s statement, other opposition parties Social Democrats and Independent Ireland have said they will also vote no confidence in the Government.McDonald said that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents who support them have “lost the confidence of the public” and needed to be voted out.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Sinn Fein TD for Meath-East, Darren O’Rourke, who is going to talk to us some more about this. We were also joined by Independent TD in Meath-East Gillian Toole, and by National Chairperson at the IBLA (Irish Beef & Lamb Association), Kieran Delaney, who spoke to us about the calls for Independent TDs to withdraw support so a general election can be called.
'The LMFM Roundtable' - Fuel Protests, Ceasefire in Iran, Vape Shops and AI in the Workplace & Schools - 10/04/2026
30:39|This morning on The Agenda we had our weekly edition of ‘The LMFM Roundtable’, where we were joined in-studio by 3 contributors to discuss and debate the big stories of the week.This week we discussed the fuel protests and asked if they support the protesters.We also discussed the ceasefire in Iran. Alos, calls for a clampdown on vape shops near schools in Ireland.
Meath Fuel Protester Tells LMFM What Protesters Want Out of Meeting Due to Take Place Today - 10/04/2026
07:32|This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Meath agricultural contractor & fuel protester Christopher Duffy to find out about the meeting which is due to take place today between Government and protester organisations.We also found out what will happen if their demands are not met at the meetings today and what they will do next. Christopher told us that they won''t be standing down until they get what tey are asking for....