Kildare resident in desperate plea to heat home

An elderly member of the Rathangan, Co Kildare community has appealed on social media for assistance in heating their home.

The resident – who asked to remain anonymous – made the appeal via the 'Rathangan Past & Present' Facebook page.

In the post, the resident explains that they are “out of oil and cannot afford a fill up or the minimum delivery.”

They ask if someone local “would have some turf or firewood” to help heat their home.

The resident concludes: “I never ask anyone for anything but I'm struggling on this one.”

The appeal comes in the wake of nationwide protests over the ongoing fuel crisis.

The protests, primarily led by farmers, hauliers and transport-dependent workers, caused widespread disruption to transport networks, fuel supply chains and economic activity across the country recently.

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Many of the country's main arteries, including the M7, M50 and M9 were ground to a halt in recent days by protestors seeking government concessions on fuel prices.

A range of fuel supports was last week announced by the government to support the transport, farming and fisheries sectors.

In terms of home heating, the government will defer the planned increase in carbon tax, scheduled for May 1st, until the Budget.

This will impact green diesel and non-propellant fuels such as kerosene heating oil, natural gas and solid fuels.

According to the government, the measures “are in addition to the previously allocated €250m in targeted supports to assist those experiencing real and immediate financial pressure.”

Other measures brought in by the government include:

• A reduction on excise on diesel by a further 10 cent (VAT inclusive), bringing the total reduction on diesel to 32 cent (VAT inclusive.)

• A reduction on petrol excise by a further 10 cent (VAT inclusive), bringing the total reduction on petrol to 27 cent (VAT inclusive.)

• Government will reduce the excise on marked gas oil (green diesel) by a further 2.4 cent (VAT inclusive), bringing the total reduction on green diesel to 7.4 cent (VAT inclusive).

These overall reductions include the already announced NORA levy reduction.

The reductions in the excise on fuel for consumers took place from midnight, Tuesday April 14 2026 and will run until July 31 2026.

The already announced NORA levy reduction will also run until July 31 2026.