The occupants of caravans parked near a Dublin school where students are sitting the Leaving Certificate examination were ordered yesterday in the High Court not to use motor vehicles to get to and from their dwellings.
Mr Justice Butler said he was sorry to have to do this but a very strong case had been made about these children doing their exams.
The order is effective until 11 a.m. next Tuesday. If the defendants needed to move their vehicles in and out in the meantime, they could do so with the agreement of the plaintiffs, he said.
The judge heard that following the granting last Friday of an order restraining trespass, several caravans had been moved to another part of the land belonging to St Benildus College at Upper Kilmacud, Stillorgan.
At the earlier hearing it was stated that the occupation of the college's rugby pitch was adding to the stress of 300 examination candidates.
A majority of pupils usually crossed the pitch en route to the school, but now had to go around the perimeter, adding 30 minutes to their walk. Ms Alice Doyle, for the school trustees, said youths from the caravans were driving at speed towards pupils and then stopping dead, and this had terrified the students.
Yesterday, Ms Doyle (instructed by Mr Garrett O'Reilly, solicitor) told Mr Justice Butler that the defendants had moved from one part of the college property to another area. Vehicles were still crossing the path used by students.
Most of the 11 defendants were not in court yesterday. One of three women who appeared said they had not had time to engage a solicitor.