Trespassing Travellers have refused to move from a Rehab training and educational centre for physically and mentally handicapped people, the High Court was told yesterday. Mr Justice Herbert granted temporary injunctions restraining the trespass.
He heard that the centre, run by the Rehab Group, was used on a daily basis for the assessment, development, care, training and rehabilitation of a highly vulnerable section of society.
Ms Maire Whelan, counsel for Rehab, said that last Tuesday a large number of cars, campers and mobile homes had been moved onto the Rehab premises at Unit 77, Broomhill Industrial Estate, Tallaght, and encamped on the grounds.
She said the entrance had been blocked and Rehab area manager Mr Cyril Gibbons had called the gardaí. Following talks, a number of the trespassers had moved on but Mr Patrick Connors and Mr Anthony McDonagh and their families had refused.
Ms Whelan said there remained three transit vans and two caravans. The vans were registered to Mr Connors and Mr McDonagh.
She told Mr Justice Herbert that the Rehab Group was a charitable organisation which helped disabled and other disadvantaged people.
Ms Una Kinane, Rehab company secretary, said in an affidavit that Rehab had been unaware of the Travellers' intention of moving onto its lands and had not granted its consent. The Travellers were committing a trespass and nuisance and she believed they had no intention of moving on unless compelled by the court.
The judge granted Rehab temporary injunctions restraining trespass, and directing Mr Connors and Mr McDonagh and their families to vacate the property.
In a separate application, Judge Herbert ordered Ms Kathleen and Mr John Hanley, Ms Kathleen and Mr Mylie Maloney, Ms Bridget and Mr James Maloney, Ms Kathleen and Mr Johnnie Connors and Ms Mag and Mr Mick Moorehouse to vacate lands on an industrial estate at Kilbelin, Newbridge, Co Kildare.
The court heard there were so many members of the Traveller community encamped on the estate as to turn it into a virtual unofficial halting site. The judge also granted the IDA temporary injunctions directing Travellers to vacate one of its sites.
Measures to make trespass a criminal offence were moved through the Dáil on Wednesday. The trespass provision is part of a proposed amendment to the public order law which passed a Dáil vote after its introduction at short notice.