Lawyers for the Northern Area Health Board have formally threatened to seek a High Court injunction against protesters in Swords, Co Dublin, because of alleged intimidation of staff at a community home for six mentally ill people.
Five residents of Lispopple, Swords, received letters yesterday asking them to "cease and desist" from their activities outside the house, where two residents of the St Ita's psychiatric service took up residence on Tuesday. The protesters and local residents deny intimidation of staff or clients at Carlton House. The health board, meanwhile, says it has offered repeated assurances that those moving into the house have undergone stringent psychiatric assessment to ensure they are suitable to live in the community.
Roger Greene & Sons, solicitors, acting for the health board, have written to five individuals alleging they have "beset" the premises at Carlton House, blocked the entrance and intimidated staff.
The protesters have also been told they are interfering with the health board's statutory duty to "vulnerable residents". The health board was "deeply concerned" about the effects of these activities on its clients, the letter said.
The solicitors sought an undertaking that the residents cease "all activity" which has the effect of intimidating or harassing staff. Protesters were also asked to give an undertaking to remove all placards, posters or similar materials from the vicinity of the house.
The solicitors said they had been instructed to apply to the High Court at the "soonest opportunity" for an injunction failing written agreement to these requests by 5 p.m. yesterday. A spokesman for the residents could not be contacted yesterday to confirm if the terms of the solicitors' requests would be complied with.