Protesters prevented from blocking access to bridge site

Gardaí yesterday prevented protesters at the controversial CAS bridge scheme in Kilkenny from blocking access to construction material being taken on to the site by contractors. About 15 gardaí arrived on the site close to Green’s Bridge in Kilkenny city as contractors employed by the county council to build the new bridge section of the Central Access Scheme transported pre-formed steel cages on to the construction site.

About 30 protesters from a group who have mounted an around-the-clock picket at the site for almost a month were present when trucks began taking the equipment on-site in the morning.

The council had notified the Garda about the operation.Gardaí arrived at the site to ensure the construction materials could be located where the contractors wanted them. Some protesters arrived after gardaí and were not allowed close to the operation while the trucks were entering.

They moved a number of protesters who wanted to block access for the trucks and the operation lasted for about 10 minutes. Garda Supt Pádraig Dunne said there were “no problems” and events passed off peacefully.

Mark Stewart from the protest group said they had a “huge problem” with the Garda involvement. “We looked it up and had legal advice and and we have lawful cause to be here and they have no right to move us,” he said.

According to Supt Dunne, gardaí were there to ensure there was no difficulty either for the workers or the protesters. “The protesters protested peacefully and the workers entered the site.” He declined “for operational reasons” to confirm the numbers of gardaí involved. “Enough to ensure that the protesters were able to protest peacefully and the workers were able to enter the site. There was no difficulty for either group.” There were “absolutely no problems at all” during the operation and no arrests.

Kilkenny County Council said at the weekend that delays caused by protests in the last month had so far cost €180,000.