Travellers in protest outside Leinster House

Travller groups mounted a picket outside Leinster House yesterday after legislation creating the offence of criminal trespass was signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen.

Representatives of Pavee Point and the Irish Travellers' Movement vowed to fight the "racist" measure, which makes those who occupy land without owner consent liable to penalties including imprisonment, fines and the confiscation of property.

The ITM urged Travellers to report any approaches by gardaí and said it would legally contest individual cases "all the way to Europe", if necessary.

The picketers were also protesting over what they claimed was the Minister's betrayal of a promise that the ITM's concerns would be brought to Cabinet before the law was given effect and that the movement would be fully informed of developments.

But a spokesman for Mr Cullen said that both commitments had been met. "Their concerns were brought to Cabinet, and they were informed as a courtesy when the commencement order was being signed," he said.

The new measures are part of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002, which also amends the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994, to provide for the offence of criminal trespass.

The legislation followed a series of high-profile cases, inclduing a mass encampment along the banks of Dublin's Dodder river last year, which angered local residents and necessitated expensive clean-up operations by local authorities.

However, speaking outside Leinster House yesterday, the ITM co-ordinator, Ms Catherine Joyce, insisted that problems caused by such camps could be addressed through the existing litter and road safety Acts, which could be strengthened if necessary, she said.