BREAKING: Traffic chaos on Kildare motorway as vehicles come to a halt

Traffic movement has been brought to a virtual standstill on northbound of Kildare's busiest route this morning.

It's happening as a nationwide protest is taking place about the spiralling cost of buying petrol, diesel ad home heating oil.

The convoy at the head of the protest was led by lorries and cars, some with the Tricolour flying from the vehicles.

The vehicles moved at a snail's pace along the M7 between the Newbridge and Naas south exits and there were further delays between the junction for Newbridge and Kildare town.

A view of today's protest which is confined to one side of the motorway

Given the slow pace of the convoy, which is headed by a garda patrol car with the blue lights activated, it is likely that the traffic hold-ups will spread further north towards the Dublin direction and into the capital.

The gardaí say they are aware of "proposals for vehicle gatherings and associated public activity" today.

They say their understanding is that it is proposed that convoys of vehicles (including HGVs, agricultural and plant vehicles) will gather at various locations across the country. It is understood that the proposed convoys, potentially slow moving, will travel primarily along national primary routes.

"It is proposed that some of these convoys will remain in regional locations, and some will travel to Dublin to congregate in the Dublin region. 

If the convoys materialise and congregate,  it is expected that there will be significant additional traffic, including slow-moving vehicles, on the main arteries leading to Dublin and in the vicinity of large urban areas across the country."