Court orders restored against nine water meter protesters

The High Court has reinstated injunctions preventing a number of Dublin residents from assaulting, intimidating or interfering with workmen installing water meters at various locations around the city.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott agreed to restore the orders against nine people as part of an agreement reached between lawyers for GMC Sierra Ltd. The company said its workers have been assaulted and intimidated as they installed the meters on behalf of Bord Gáis.

The parties also agreed that a motion would not go ahead to commit to prison seven of the nine defendants who, it was claimed, had breached an undertaking to comply with the terms of an injunction.

Speaking afterwards, solicitor for the nine, Cahir O’Higgins, said his clients were happy to consent to the orders. Previously the High Court heard that the nine denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

Last month the High Court granted an interim injunction against the nine after being shown videos of protests.

Jim O’Callaghan SC, counsel for the company, said GMC Sierra had no problem with anyone engaged in a peaceful protest. It had sought the injunctions to ensure the health and safety of its workers.

The court also restrained anyone with knowledge that the order had been made from assaulting, harassing, intimidating, endangering or otherwise unlawfully interfering with or obstructing the workers.

When the matter returned before the High Court, a solicitor for the defendants had the injunction against his clients lifted on their giving of an undertaking they would not take part in unlawful action against the workers.

Unlawful activities

The court allowed that part of the injunction restraining unlawful activities by anyone with knowledge of the order to remain in place. Within days the company’s lawyers had returned to court alleging that seven of the nine had breached the undertaking.

Mr O’Callaghan told the judge that following discussions between the parties it was agreed the contempt proceedings, seeking their attachment and committal for allegedly failing to abide by the their undertakings, could be discontinued.

The injunction orders which had been previously granted by the High Court against the nine could be restored in the same terms. The nine defendants were consenting to the injunction being put in place.

The judge agreed to adjourn the matter.