A traveller threatened to shoot a Clare County Council official during several days of disturbances outside the local authority's offices last week, the county manager, Mr Tom Coughlan, said yesterday.
The county finance officer, Mr Gerard Dollard, said the incidents, where staff were threatened on a number of occasions, occurred after the council impounded a horse from a Traveller family.
Mr Coughlan told yesterday's council meeting: "What happened was totally unacceptable. I can't understand how staff are putting up with the situation. I don't know if any Travellers would have access to guns, but the threat to shoot a member of staff is something to be very concerned about."
Ennis gardai were called in relation to the incident. Twenty-four-hour security costing £3,800 per week, which was put in place in response to Traveller families illegally parking caravans in the council car park since April, has been resumed.
Mr Dollard told of another incident involving Travellers in Shannon last Thursday where he and three other council officials were prevented from leaving a halting site, which is under development, by a number of Travellers until the council acceded to a demand from them. Mr Dollard said statements were being prepared for the Garda.
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