Tara protesters jailed
- after rejecting bail terms
By - Allison Bray.
FOUR Hill of Tara protesters have been jailed for a week
after they refused to comply with bail conditions
requiring them to stay away from the site of the
controversial M3 motorway.
The four men, who range in age from 20 to 70, were among
a group of seven heritage campaigners who were charged
with public order offences yesterday following clashes
with security and construction workers yesterday
morning.
They were remanded in custody at Cloverhill Prison
pending their next court appearance on Wednesday at the
Navan District Court.
Three of the campaigners agreed to the bail conditions
specifying that they do not go near the construction site
or interfere with work going on there.
The protesters claimed they were "manhandled" by workers
employed by contractor Eurolink Ltd. and subcontractor
SIAC Construction as they tried to prevent lorries,
bulldozers and other machinery from entering the
construction site at Blundlestown, Co. Meath, close to
the northern slope of the Hill of Tara.
SIAC refused to comment and referred all calls to
Eurolink Ltd, which denied the claims.
But TaraWatch spokeswoman Laura Grealish said she was
knocked to the ground by the workers as she attempted to
take photographs of protesters attempting to block the
gates to the site.
She denied claims by Eurolink Ltd. that the security
staff at the site did not touch or manhandle the
protesters unless they were provoked.
The company said a construction worker was assaulted by a
protester and had to be taken by ambulance to hospital in
Navan.
A hospital spokeswoman confirmed the worker was brought
in but later discharged.
The campaigners vowed to continue their protest and will
be looking at taking further legal action against the
contractors.
© The Irish Independent, 19th. July 2007.
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