Mohan Sinha
15 Apr 2026

DUBLIN, Ireland: The government won the Dáil confidence vote tabled by Sinn Féin following the fuel protests by 92 votes to 78.

The protests had brought Ireland's roads to a standstill.

During the motion of confidence, the coalition government was criticized for its handling of the fuel protests.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the government was acting boldly and without shame, and that it was time to hold an election.

However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin rejected claims that the government had done nothing to help people facing rising fuel prices. He said this claim was clearly false and added that it was misleading for the opposition to suggest that there were no difficult decisions involved.

Government ministers also criticized politicians who supported last week's protests, which included blockades of important infrastructure.

Sinn Féin triggered a motion of confidence in the coalition government after a week of major disruption caused by protests and fuel supply blockades.

The government announced a 505-million-euro support package on April 12 to deal with rising fuel costs linked to the war in Iran. However, political tensions continued as the Dáil returned from its Easter break on April 14.

All opposition parties said they would vote against the government in the confidence motion.

It remains unclear how some independent politicians, including Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae, will vote. He has previously supported the Fianna Fáil–Fine Gael coalition.

Speaking in the Dáil, Martin said the government had taken strong action that went further than measures taken in other countries.

He said that no one has the right to stop people from accessing cancer treatment, receiving care, or delivering essential supplies. He warned that the protests had seriously threatened the country's fuel supply.

He criticized last week's blockades as destructive and said they went far beyond previous protests.

Martin said that while everyone has the right to protest, no one has the right to claim they represent all people or to put thousands of jobs and livelihoods at risk.

He also strongly condemned what he described as the targeting of police, oil truck drivers, and politicians with threats.

Martin said that parliamentary democracy must be protected and respected. He noted that most protesters acted peacefully and within democratic limits, but said some groups did not. He warned that politicians cannot support such groups or present them as representing the public, and then deny responsibility for giving them legitimacy.

Tánaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris called Sinn Féin's no-confidence motion a political stunt. He said that if the motion passed, the government's financial support measures would not be approved by parliament.

Harris also said Sinn Féin had already decided to bring the motion before reviewing the government's support package. He argued that the package was more detailed and better planned than anything proposed by the opposition.

McDonald again described the coalition as acting boldly and said it was time for an election.

She criticized the government for taking a two-week Easter break during the fuel crisis and said it could not blame global events alone. She argued that government decisions, especially its budget, also caused Ireland's problems.

She said the government's arrogance, poor judgment, and lack of empathy had made people believe its time in power was over.

McDonald told Martin that while the government was patting itself on the back, people outside its circle saw it as disconnected from reality.

She said that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and their independent supporters had run out of time and should return to the public for a fresh vote.

She added that the government no longer had the people's trust and should step down.

Junior Minister Michael Healy-Rae resigns

Michael Healy-Rae, a junior minister in the government, has resigned over the handling of the fuel protests.

Healy-Rae was among several independent TDs who supported the formation of a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. He said he would be voting against the government in a confidence motion.

Healy-Rae also announced his resignation as Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, farm safety, and horticulture within the Department of Agriculture.