Section 24 is being introduced under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill No 2 2001 but, if passed, will be inserted into the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, where there is already a section on trespass which deals solely with buildings and their immediate surroundings.
That section makes it an offence to trespass on a building "in such a manner as causes or is likely to cause fear in another person". The offence is punishable by a €1,270 fine and/or 12 months in prison.
Failure to comply with a Garda direction to leave the building is a further offence, punishable by a €630 fine and/or six months in prison.
The new section "Offences relating to entering and occupying land without consent" is a far more comprehensive piece of legislation covering all land, public and private, including, intriguingly, "land covered by water".
It prohibits the occupation of land by person or object - aimed chiefly at cars and caravans - where their presence would (a) damage the land, (b) affect its amenity value, (c) prevent authorised people making use of it or, (d) render it "unsanitary or unsafe".
There is a fifth catch-all ground for applying the law should anyone slip through the first four - where the occupation would "interfere with the land, any amenity in respect of the land, the lawful use of the land or any amenity in respect of the land".
A person suspected of being in breach of the law can be arrested without a warrant. Penalties for a first offence are a fine of up to €3,000, one month in prison or both.
It is a further offence for a person to fail to give their name and address on request from a garda or to fail to comply with a garda's direction to leave the place and remove vehicles or other objects.
Vehicles, caravans and other possessions can be removed by a garda with or without the knowledge of the owner. It is an offence to attempt to prevent such a removal.