South Dublin residents involved in the recent anti-bin charge protests are appearing in court in Dublin today.
Some 16 people will be brought before the court for allegedly being in contempt of an order not to interfere with bin collections. The case is expected to continue throughout the afternoon.
Those involved in the protests in south Dublin last week said they would consider legal action after South Dublin County Council began confiscating "wheelie" bins from residents who had not paid their bin charge.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council obtained a High Court injunction on October 22nd restraining a number of named persons from obstructing the departure and return of vehicles from its depot at Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin.
The disputes have been ongoing throughout a number of Dublin local authority areas - including Fingal, Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and South Dublin - for the past two months.
A number of people, including the Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins and his party colleague Ms Clare Daly, have been jailed for refusing to give undertakings not to breach court orders binding the protesters.
There are also indications the anti-bin charge campaign is spreading to Cork. It was reported this morning that campaigners in the city will meet this evening to consider a blockade of bin depots and other action.
Cok City Council has instructed its bin collectors not to collect from non-paying households from the middle of November.
Most of the local authorities insist that the number of people opting to pay bin charges and for bin tags has increased since the jailing of protesters began.
They have also claimed the protests are being orchestrated by a small number of individuals for political purposes.