Eircell has described as "outrageous" a seven-month protest by residents who have prevented the company from erecting a mobile phone mast in Co Wexford.
Gardai were called to the scene last week when three protesters chained themselves to a van to prevent contractors for Eircell entering the site at Rathgarogue, about four miles from New Ross.
It was the third time since June that protesters, who are maintaining a 24-hour picket at the site, foiled an attempt by the company to begin work on the mast.
A spokeswoman for the picketers, Countess Ann Bernstorff of the locally based Berkeley Environment Group, said the protest would continue until Eircell abandoned the project. Eircell, however, insists that it intends to build the mast. "We have been through the full planning process," a spokeswoman said, "and it's terribly disappointing that whenever we try to attempt what is our legal right, we are stopped by the community.
"It's outrageous that we're blocked constantly from doing the work that we're entitled to do, in order to provide better coverage for our customers." The spokeswoman denied a claim by Countess Bernstorff that the contractors' vehicles - a lorry, a van and a four-wheel drive - were driven at speed in an attempt to get past the picketers. One vehicle did get past but the second was stopped by protesters who clung onto its side. Two women and a man then chained themselves to the van and, after gardai arrived, the Eircell representatives decided to leave the site, located on the Enniscorthy-New Ross road. The company spokeswoman said it was "not our policy to get people to drive in at high speed. I have spoken to one of the drivers concerned and that did not happen. It is absolutely not true".
She said the company had made every effort to resolve the situation and to address the residents' concerns, but to no avail. Eircell would now reassess the situation but there was no doubt the base station would be built.
The protesters say their action is on environmental and health grounds. They claim it is not possible to give long-term assurances about the health implications when experts are divided on the issue.