Court told protest at Kildare site where state plans to house Ukrainians has de-escalated

High Court Reporters

A protest at a site where emergency accommodation facilities for hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are being built has "de-escalated", the High Court has heard.

Last week, Total Experience Limited, trading as Pastures New Accommodation, which is constructing facilities at Newhall, Naas, Co Kildare for families fleeing the war, secured a temporary order restraining protesters from blocking the entrances to the site.

The company claims its work has been hampered by those opposed to the State's provision of accommodation to displaced persons.

When the matter was mentioned before the Court earlier this week the plaintiff's lawyers said that despite the granting of the injunction the protest had remained ongoing, and that a campsite had been erected by protesters at the property.

This campsite, it was alleged, amounted to a trespass.

On Tuesday Barry Mansfield Bl for the plaintiff told Ms Justice Siobhan Stack that matters had "de-escalated overnight," and that the campsite has now been removed.

This action, counsel said, had taken some of the urgency out of the matter, adding that the company will continue with its action.

Counsel said that as a result of this latest development his client's application to amend its proceedings, to deal with the alleged trespass, and to add several other individuals it claims it has identified as being part of the protest to the action, does not need to proceed on Wednesday as scheduled.

Counsel asked that the matter be adjourned to a date next week, when it was anticipated that protesters would attend court.

None of the protesters attended the court, nor were there any representations made on their behalf, when the proceedings were called on before the court on Monday.

It is also understood that posts on a Facebook page linked to the protest were conciliatory in nature and indicated a willingness to participate in the proceedings.

Ms Justice Stack agreed to adjourn the matter, with the injunction remaining in place, to Thursday of next week.

Last week the company claimed that up to 50 protesters were maintaining a 24 hour protest preventing persons and vehicles from entering or leaving the site by using tactics including forming "a human shield," and by parking cars in front of the site's entrances.

The plaintiff claimed that the activities amounted to a nuisance and a unreasonable interference with the company's work.

The court granted the company a temporary injunction, on an ex-parte basis, restraining the protesters from deliberately preventing or obstructing entrances from the site.

The firm has been contracted by the State to provide 985 beds in 387 cabins as well as a dining marquee, laundry and recreation facilities at the site.

The company says it is not attempting to interfere with anyone's lawful right to peacefully protest. However, the blocking of the entrances is not lawful, and creates a safety risk, it claims.