Group agrees to vacate occupied house

A group protesting about the homeless crisis including TD Ruth Coppinger has agreed before the High Court to end occupation of a show house in a Dublin housing estate.

Hansfield Investments Ltd, which is developing a scheme of houses near Ongar, Dublin 15, sought an injunction compelling Ms Coppinger and all other persons involved in the protest to vacate a property at Barnwell Lawn in the scheme, which had been occupied since the weekend.

The developer, represented by Eoghan Cole, said the protesters had no right to be there and were trespassing. The protest, the court heard, was part of a campaign to shame the Government to deal with the plight of families who have been made homeless, many of whom have been put up in temporary accommodation.