THREE MEN climbed the West-Link toll plaza yesterday morning in a protest by the Unmarried and Separated Fathers of Ireland group.
Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the group, said that the incident was motivated by "the constant refusal of the Minister for Justice to meet with us and discuss our legitimate concerns".
"Successive ministers for justice have refused to address the isolation and unfairness associated with fathers in this position, and even when Michael McDowell agreed to meet us, we were paid lip service," he said. Mr Kelly said that with Father's Day next Sunday it is a difficult time for the members of the group and that "we are not talking about money or anything like that, but instead people who love their children and care for them, but are not getting equal treatment in the system at the moment".
He said: "Family occasions such as Father's Day and Christmas are very sad and distressing for people in the situation of family break-up, but when your plight is not recognised by the authorities and you consistently get a raw deal in the courts, you are left with no choice but to highlight the problem in this manner."
A spokesperson from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform said that "senior officials from the department have met with this group and are willing to do again".
The protesters climbed up on the apex roof of the southbound pay booths of the toll plaza at 6am and remained there until noon when the protest ended.
Gardaí reported no traffic disruption arising from the protest. Eamon Quinn, secretary of a different group, the Unmarried and Separated Parents of Ireland, dissociated his organisation from the protest.
He said that the incident was copying the same tactics of the Fathers for Justice organisation in the UK and he felt energy could be better focused elsewhere.
"This is a publicity stunt which will get some small short-term gain but it gives groups who are protesting a reputation for bad behaviour and that does nothing to help anyone's cause," he said.