Gardai are investigating an alleged assault on a security man when a number of travelling families moved on to an unofficial halting site in Cork city. Cork Corporation is also understood to be considering taking legal action to evict the caravans from the site.
A spokeswoman for the travellers denied yesterday that anybody was assaulted and said they just wanted to be housed.
Seven caravans moved on to, the site known as the Pole Field about two months ago when they claimed the official halting site nearby in Ballyvolane was overcrowded. Gardai said that late on Saturday night they were called to the site and brought the security man to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries to his head.
"It appears a van drove up, and the security man, who is, employed by Cork Corporation, raised the barrier to allow it in. But it halted halfway through the opening, and suddenly three caravans drove into the site", said a garda.
There are no sanitary facilities on the site, and the corporation had issued instructions that no further caravans were to be allowed in. The corporation is taking legal advice about evicting the families.