Fuel Protests

[pete]

Fishermen, Hauliers, Taxis, farmers all protesting about increased cost of fuel.

Fishermen Protests

Are the protests valid? Is there a solution?

In Spain two people were killed by Spanish fishermen protests including truck driver burned in his cab.

[OneRedArmy]

Are people free to protest? Of course, its a free country (to the extent they stay within the law).

Are they right, or more accurately, is there any point? No, absolutely not. Any reduction in duty will not address the core issue, that we need to reduce our dependence on oil and therefore reduce demand. Arguably duty should be increased further to force people quicker to take up alternatives.

Also, I don't understand why hauliers can't pass on increases to their customers if it is affecting all of them?

We also have some of the lowest priced fuel in Europe so I don't buy the usual excuse that we are uncompetitive.

[pete]

Also, I don't understand why hauliers can't pass on increases to their customers if it is affecting all of them?

I believe they are saying they are locked into contracts. Strange way to run business as fuel costs have been rising consistently for years. Could they hedge fuel costs like airlines? Customers have to get someone to transport their goods are not many alternatives so surely this will just be passed onto us consumers?

If fishermen are not getting good price for their produce they need to sell to some one else or sell at their equivalent of farmers market ?

[kingdom hoop]

Are they right, or more accurately, is there any point? No, absolutely not.

Your point on reducing demand is of course crucial in the long-term, but I think there is a point to the protests: The best way to get politicians off their collective asses and take some sort of remedial action (be that say pressuring the shady OPEC to lower prices or drafting forward-thinking legislation) is for the concerned parties to mobilise, to express their distress and to try expose the gravity of the problem.

When votes (most politicians primary concern) are on the line, there is most definitely a point to activism, at all levels (ie industry, media, citizens, trade unions, etc). It's all about exerting pressure on politicians, IMO.

[Macy]

Are they right, or more accurately, is there any point? No, absolutely not. Any reduction in duty will not address the core issue, that we need to reduce our dependence on oil and therefore reduce demand. Arguably duty should be increased further to force people quicker to take up alternatives.

They have a point about the levels of duty - I mean the Government say there's nothing they can do, but that's clearly bull. They could reduce it, but they choose not too. I'd agree there's an arguement about whether they should. One thing the Government clearly could do is to stop bloody giving away our reserves for buttons.

On the demand side, there is considerable weight behind the argument that the increases are being driven by speculation rather than demand. There's been no increase in demand, or reduction in supply to drive the price increases. It's traders driving up the prices. I guess that's the whole "Market" driving down prices at work.

[noby]

If fishermen are not getting good price for their produce they need to sell to some one else or sell at their equivalent of farmers market ?

I'm no expert on the fishing industry, but that seems like an over-simplified view of things. If a fisherman was supplying a few local markets he would really only be on hobby/part time level, not a mortgage on a boat and a crew to pay.
Like the farmers and other producers if you're not tied in with the big distribution firms you're not going to shift your produce. Unfortunately these big guys also drive down the price they're willing to pay you. To keep your turnover up you need to travel further, and land more fish, leading to bigger trawlers, bigger mortgages, more diesel costs.
I have every sympathy with them, and would support their protests.

[pete]

Tax take is down significantly this year so I am unsure if the government can reduce fuel duties. If they cut that there they will have to increase it somewhere else or cut services.

I now there was very underhand issues about a large factory trawler being given a large chunk of the irish fish quota but I presume quotas are cut due to lack of fish.

Rising fuel costs is not isolated to certain sectors of the economy so giving concessions to one sector will start ripple effect. For whatever reason fuel prices will continue to rise so any concessions will only be very short term.

I wonder how popular "carbon taxes" will be in the real world where oil is a necessity.

[Macy]

Tax take is down significantly this year so I am unsure if the government can reduce fuel duties. If they cut that there they will have to increase it somewhere else or cut services.

Yeah, that's choice the Government have to make.

I now there was very underhand issues about a large factory trawler being given a large chunk of the irish fish quota but I presume quotas are cut due to lack of fish.

The issue isn't larger Irish trawlers (although that could the reason behind the Governments plan to buy out smaller boats for their buddies), it's the way so much of the quota goes to the rest of the EU. The Irish fleet gets about 7% of the quota for Irish waters. There are also issue's as to how it's policed here compared to the rest of europe. It seems bizarre that they have to throw back dead cod because they're not let land it due to the quota - does nothing to conserve fish stocks.

[KevB76]

Any reduction in duty will not address the core issue, that we need to reduce our dependence on oil and therefore reduce demand. Arguably duty should be increased further to force people quicker to take up alternatives.

I agree that reducing duty will not address the core issue, but the problem is that there are at present no realisitc alternatives for people to take up are there?

With the price of fuel continuing to rise drastically, surely we must have reached the point where the production of bio fuels has become economically viable without the need for tax incentives (?) If the government is to address concerns about fuel prices and availability, they really need to be actively attempting to establish some sort of proper bio-fuel industry, not just isolated pockets of it in a few random towns.