High Court orders release of four jailed water protesters

Four anti-water charge protesters from Dublin who were jailed last month have been released on the orders of the High Court.

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns directed their immediate release from custody after he upheld a challenge to the legality of a warrant granting their detention.

The four to be released are Damien O’Neill of Greenwood Park, Coolock; Paul Moore of Mount Olive Grove, Kilbarrack; Bernie Hughes of McKelvey Avenue, Finglas, and Derek Byrne of Streamville Road, Donaghmede.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has welcomed their release.

"These four people should never have been in prison. It was realy quite outrageous that people who were protesting were incarcerated," he said.

"It's great that they're out. I hope now we will see an absolutely massive protest on March 21, which is the next big, national Right2Water protest."

The Dublin protest starts at 1pm on Saturday, March 21 with assemby points at Connolly Station, Heuston Station and Merrion Square.