The number of Travellers camped illegally in Rathfarnham, Dublin, swelled last night when they were joined by families forced by council officials to move from another unauthorised site in Firhouse earlier in the day.
Up to 60 caravans were parked on green areas along Dodder Park Road, close to Rathfarnham Shopping Centre, last night.
About 20 of some 50 caravans moved from the Firhouse site before lunchtime yesterday joined the Rathfarnham group, according to Mr Damien Peelo, the coordinator of the Tallaght Traveller Community Development Project.
South Dublin County Council intends to move the families from the Rathfarnham site on Monday.
Mr Paul Smyth, from the county council's Traveller unit, said the original intention had been to move the Travellers from Rathfarnham and Firhouse sites yesterday.
Families on both sites were served this week with statutory notices requesting them to move as they have camped without permission close to another authorised site for Travellers.
Some 50 caravans moved from Firhouse yesterday morning after council officials, private security men and gardai arrived to enforce the orders.
An attempt by some Traveller families at the Firhouse site to obtain a High Court injunction yesterday preventing the council from moving them was abandoned. The Tallaght Traveller Community Development Project claimed the council had moved to clear the Firhouse site despite being notified of the intended legal move.
However, Mr Smyth insisted that the site was cleared only after a solicitor for the Travellers told officials to proceed.
Mr Peelo accused the council of creating mayhem by moving the families from Firhouse before the weekend with nowhere for them to go but another unauthorised site.