ADDITIONAL SECURITY IS expected at the Four Courts this morning amid concerns that a large crowd may gather again for High Court action brought by John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty.

Waters and O’Doherty have launched a legal challenge against the State over its decision to implement emergency restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Up to 100 people gathered in the Round Hall of the Four Courts, a large communal space at the entrance to the building, ahead of the first hearing last Tuesday.

The crowd that gathered was not permitted to enter the actual courtroom due to social distancing guidelines introduced by the Chief Justice and the Presidents of the Courts arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An application to let some or all of those persons into the courtroom was dismissed by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.

A group photo also emerged of around 50 people gathered on the quays outside the courts following the hearing.

Gardaí attended the scene and said a number of people initially failed to comply with a request to disperse. Names of some of those present were taken and investigations are ongoing.

The case is up for mention again today in the High Court and additional security is expected to be in place to manage a large crowd if there is a repeated of scenes last Tuesday.  

The Courts Service said last week that it was “disappointed and appalled” that people chose to attend in large numbers, stating that they had “endangered themselves, gardaí, court staff and court users to infection”.

Comments are off due to ongoing legal proceedings.