Traveller protest passes off peacefully

Traffic at the Navan Road and Auburn Avenue roundabout has begun to move freely again after the day's second Traveller protest…

Traffic at the Navan Road and Auburn Avenue roundabout has begun to move freely again after the day's second Traveller protest over the blocking of Dunsink Lane passed off peacefully.

The Garda presence in the area has been significantly reduced, despite three arrests at a protest this morning.

Gardaí had also entered Dublin City Council's offices as a precaution in the event of the protest extending to Wood Quay.

The move followed protests today and yesterday at the roundabout which is near the halting site at Dunsink lane.

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A spokeswoman for Dublin City Council confirmed there was a small Garda presence both outside and inside the building on Wood Quay.

However, she said this was simply a "precaution" following a number of radio appearances by members of the protest group this morning, indicating further protests. She said the group had failed to divulge its plans, but there was a belief it wanted to retain "the element of surprise".

The spokeswoman said the barricade erected at Dunsink Lane, which is the subject of the protest, was a "temporary" measure.

A task force on "anti-social behaviour" composed of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, the Garda and Revenue decided on the move to tackle illegal dumping (by people other than the Travellers living nearby) and because of concerns of other possibly illegal activity, she said.

One man appeared in court this morning charged with public order offences following a protest this morning by members of the Travelling community.

The Garda confirmed three men were arrested for public order offences during the protest on the Navan Road.  A spokesman said one man had appeared in court, one was released and one was in custody. However, he could not confirm the identity of any of those arrested or charged.

It is understood one of them is the Travellers' rights campaigner Mr Martin Collins.

A statement from the Travellers' group Pavee Point said Mr Collins was arrested by the Garda while taking part in a peaceful protest at the entrance to the Little Chef restaurant at the Auburn Avenue roundabout on the N3 at around 9.15 a.m.

Pavee Point said it believed Mr Collins was being held at Cabra Garda station and that, to the best of its knowledge, he had been charged with a public order offence for "disorderly conduct".

"Pavee Point staff members at the protest are surprised and disappointed at the change in the Gardaí's approach to this civil protest."

Traffic on the N3, the Navan road, was stopped for over two hours yesterday by almost 100 Travellers, protesting at the closing of a major access road to their homes on Dunsink lane.

This morning gardaí stopped protesters from blocking the Auburn Avenue roundabout of the M50. The two men were taken to Blanchardstown Garda station for questioning. It is believed further disruption is planned but the exact location is unknown.

There were reports this morning that traffic on the N3 was lighter than usual as many motorists apparently avoided the protest by taking the N2 route instead.

Traveller representatives from Dunsink Lane met city councillors and gardaí yesterday in an attempt to resolve the situation.

No commitment was given by the council to remove the barrier which blocks access to Finglas village for more than 400 residents of Dunsink Lane.

In a separate development, the legal unit of the Irish Travellers' Movement said it was considering challenging the council's decision to close Dunsink Lane in the courts.