High Court injunction against Ballinamore asylum centre protestors struck out

A High Court action over protests outside apartment accommodation for asylum seekers in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, has been struck out.

Six people, including a local Fine Gael councillor, an auctioneer and a pharmacist, had been injuncted from interfering with work to finish the accommodation at the Rock Centre.

In November, Remcoll 2 Ltd, owners of the apartments at the Rock Centre, obtained an interim injunction preventing protesters from interfering with work to fit out and complete the apartments for 25 families seeking asylum.

The protests, which the court heard included a 24-hour picket and a seven foot fence being erected around the complex to prevent workers and security getting inside, ended shortly after the injunction was granted. The families afterwards moved in, the court heard.

The injunction applied to:Councillor Ita Reynolds, auctioneer Gordon Hughes, pharmacist Brian Cribbin, local businessman Adrian Smith and to Fred Walsh and Desmond Wisley and all others with knowledge of it.

The six strongly contested claims by the owners of the apartments that they acted unlawfully during the protests, the court heard.

Just before Christmas, Mr Justice Max Barrett rejected their application to vary the injunction in order, they claimed, that they could go about their normal business.

When the case returned today, the judge was told by Anthony Thuillier BL, for Remcoll 2, the defendants had undertaken not to interfere with his client or agents in the operation of its business at the Rock Centre.

In those circumstances, the judge struck out the action.