Court orders protesters to stop blocking water works for house hosting asylum seekers in Kildare

THE OWNERS OF an 18th Century property in Kildare housing almost 100 female asylum seekers have secured a temporary order preventing protesters from harassing or intimidating residents, staff or contractors, after the High Court heard plans for a new water connection had to be stopped over safety concerns.

Justice Brian Cregan was told today that, earlier this month, a new water connection was due to be installed at Ryevale House in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

However, a foreman due to intall the connection was informed by a protester that works would not commence “unless the contractor was prepared to hit him with the bucket of his digger”.

Niall Handy SC, representing the owner, Me Liberer Unlimited Company, successfully applied for an interim injunction restraining nine named defendants from continuing interference at public land to the rear of the protected building – where Uisce Éireann was due to install the connection from the public water main.

In his application, Handy read the affidavit of Maria Seidner, group operations manager of Ryevale House, which has a contract with the International Protection Accommodation Services office to accommodate the 93 women.

The three-storey house, with associated courtyard, couch house and grain store began housing international protection applicants in March 2023.

Seidner said in her affidavit that due to the age of the house, the original plumbing does not have a modern level of water pressure and that a water tanker had been supplying Ryevale at a cost of €2,300 a week.

Seidner said that there had been considerable and frequent local opposition to the accommodation of the women by protesters at the gates of the house.

A new public water connection was to be installed and on 3 March of this year. The day before work was due to begin, a foreman attended the site in preparation.

In her affidavit, Seidner says the foreman told her that he encountered opposition to the plan and that a local protester had informed him there was “no way” the works would be carried out unless he was prepared to hit the protester with his digger.

It is claimed that protesters had regularly picketed the house and harassed delivery drivers in the past.

On 4 March, the contractor was unable to carry out the installation due to a protest by the defendants on an open space where the works were due to begin.

It is alleged that four cars were parked as an obstruction to any works and that placards had been erected on the open space and on the rear door of Ryevale House itself.

Seidner said that she attended the scene that morning and was unable to cross the open space “owing to the blockade of the defendants”.

Seidner claimed protesters were “verbally forceful” in warnings to her, that she felt intimidated by their robustness and that protesters “stepped in very close to my body”.

“Protesters held up mobile phone cameras in my face, making recordings and making negative comments, challenging my right to be present and resolving to continue blockading and interfering with the planned works,” she claimed.

Protesters “vigorously refused” to move when the attending foreman asked them to do so and the decision was made to leave the area as it was impossible to carry out the works, it is claimed.

Uisce Éireann told Ryevale that its water connection will not be installed until the protest is resolved “given the concerns they have for the safety of their contractors”, she submits.

Seidner said that Me Liberer wrote to the defendants seeking an undertaking from them to stop protesting but none were forthcoming.

“There is a constant vigil being maintained by local residents and a car is always permanently parked in place where the works are planned,” Seidner said.

Seidner added that she is concerned that protests might “escalate” and that the situation has become “intolerable” and one “where a public body is prevented from carrying out lawfully permitted and planned works”.

Justice Cregan granted the interim injunction to Me Liberer and adjourned the matter to next week.