Irish energy costs to 'soar' as Middle East conflict disrupts oil supplies
There are currently no plans to evacuate Irish citizens in the Middle East.A limited number of flights in the UAE are set to resume later today as up to 20,000 Irish individuals are currently marooned in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. However, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee announced that a small number of flights will be operational later today, prioritising passengers who are stranded, reports the Irish Mirror.In a statement issued this morning, she said: "We understand that a limited number of commercial flights are scheduled to depart Abu Dhabi and Zayed Airport in UAE this afternoon. We understand that passengers stranded in transit are being prioritised and that airlines are in direct contact with those eligible to travel."Unless you have been advised by your airlines that they have booked you on a flight, Irish citizens should continue to shelter in place."Minister McEntee acknowledged it's a "very distressing" time for the large number of Irish people in the UAE, and the advice remains to stay indoors. She stated the Government isn't currently planning to evacuate citizens. This is in contrast to the UK.Some 94,000 British individuals have registered their presence in Gulf countries, and the UK Foreign Office is now working on an evacuation plan. Irish people are being urged to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs, so it can get a more accurate picture of how many citizens are currently in these countries. Whilst the Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed a limited number of commercial flights will resume later today, the vast majority are cancelled until at least tomorrow. Emirates, which operates flights from Dublin to Dubai, announced all flights are suspended until at least 3pm UAE time on 3rd March.All Dublin to Doha flights have also been cancelled until further notice. A spokesperson for Qatar Airways stated: "Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace."A further update will be provided on March 03 by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC). Passengers are advised to monitor the latest flight information via qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways mobile app."All flights to and from Abu Dhabi have been suspended until 2pm today. However, only a limited number of flights will resume after this time, with the airline urging all passengers to check their status online.At least 31 people have been killed following Israeli strikes on Lebanon overnight. There are currently 370 Irish troops in the Middle East, with the majority of these with Unifil in Lebanon.In a statement released this morning, Minister McEntee stated: "I am deeply concerned by reports of Israeli military strikes on Lebanon and rocket fire on Israel. The widening of this conflict brings greater risk and suffering to the region."I am in touch with the Chief of Staff and pleased to report that Defence Forces personnel serving with Unifil are safe and accounted for." Petrol prices in Ireland could jump by 70c per litre as global oil prices have soared by 9%.This follows disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after retaliatory Iranian strikes. Analysts have warned that prices will keep climbing as the disruption persists, given that 20% of the world's oil supplies travel through the sole maritime route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean each year.Professor Aoife Foley, an international authority on energy systems and data-driven sustainability solutions, has forecast how the conflict will impact transport, heating and electricity expenses in Ireland. She indicated petrol could increase by 70c per litre and electricity could nearly double from 36c per kilowatt to 60c.Should a severe spike occur, a 1,000-litre refill of heating oil could climb from €997 to an estimated €1,950. Professor Foley said: "Irish households would likely feel a larger percentage impact because of higher Vat, a smaller and more import-exposed system, and euro exposure to dollar priced fuels."This is not an abstract geopolitical issue. It feeds directly into transport costs, home heating, electricity bills and inflation."Want to see more of the stories you love from Dublin Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Dublin Live as a preferred source, simply click here.
