Caravan occupants face possible contempt over refusal to leave car park

High Court reporters

Three caravans that have been parked in a car park in Celbridge, Co Kildare, since October must be removed by this Thursday, the High Court has ordered.

If they fail to do so, the occupants could face applications by the car park owners to have them jailed for contempt, the court heard.

Last week, Mr Justice Brian Cregan gave "persons unknown" in occupation of the car park in the Abbey Car Park, Clane Road, until Tuesday, July 8th, to vacate the property.

It is owned by the St John of God Trust (Ireland) which uses it for car parking for its community based services and tea rooms there and it also licenses it to Kildare County Council for use as a public car park.

Since the caravans arrived, the court has been told, there has been disruption to the trust's services and intimidation and aggression towards patients and staff. There has also been an accumulation of waste throughout the car park.

Early efforts by the county council to service notices directing the occupants to vacate the property have not been successful.

Last Wednesday, following a one-side only represented application by the trust seeking the removal of the caravans and occupants, Mr Justice Brian Cregan granted an interim order requiring that the car be vacated by 1pm on Tuesday, July 8th.

He said the occupants could turn up in court on Tuesday to make their case about the order if they wished.

When the case returned, Conor Sheehan BL, for the trust, said there had been no appearance by the occupants and the caravans were still there.

He asked the court to make its order stay in place pending full hearing of the case.

Mr Justice Cregan was satisfied to do so and said if the caravans are not gone by Thursday at 1pm, the trust could take whatever steps it chooses to enforce the order including asking the court to issue an attachment and committal order which can lead to the imprisonment of the occupants for contempt.