Court jails Higgins for month over bin-charge protests

The High Court has jailed Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins and Councillor Ms Clare Daly for one month for their part in the …

The High Court has jailed Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins and Councillor Ms Clare Daly for one month for their part in the Dublin anti-bin charge protests.

Fingal County Council had applied to the Court to have the pair jailed or fined for breaching court orders prohibiting their involvement in protests aimed at obstructing refuse collections.

Judge Iarfhlaith O'Neill today asked Mr Higgins and Ms Daly if they would comply with the court's orders and refrain from participating in the protests.

The Dublin West TD said he could "not abandon the communities he represented". Ms Daly said she had no alternative but to continue the protests.

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Judge O'Neill passed a custodial sentence of one month on both of them.

Around 50 anti-bin charge campaigners protested outside the court when Mr Higgins and Ms Daly arrived for the case this morning.

The bin-charge protests began over a week ago, and three lorries - in Santry, Swords and Kinsealy - remain blocked from collecting domestic waste.

Earlier, lawyers for the Council told the High Court Mr Higgins and Ms Daly had "deliberately and consciously" disobeyed a court order made last week that prohibited their involvement in protests aimed at obstructing refuse collections.

Mr James Macken SC said both had blocked bin lorries from collecting domestic waste to further their political campaign against the council's decision not to collect refuse from bin charge defaulters.

Mr Macken claimed Ms Daly had been involved in blocking a bin lorry in Swords in Dublin after the High Court had granted a second injunction against her.

The Council asked the court to direct the Garda Commissioner to arrest anyone in breach of the injunction.

Mr Higgins said yesterday he was not in a position to stop the campaign against the waste charge and although he did not wish to face imprisonment or fines, he felt he had a duty to those campaigning.

"It is now a widespread campaign and it is going to continue. It is the only effective way for the people to fight the bin tax and as an elected representative, I'm duty bound to support them," he said.