Cork City Council had to abandon its meeting last night after an anti-water charge protester refused to leave the council chamber.

Diarmaid Ó Cadhla of the People's Convention said he was protesting at a decision by the council to remove the group's posters advertising an anti-water-charges march.

It resulted in the cancellation of a meeting of the council for the second time in a fortnight.

Earlier, the group staged a sit-in and blocked access to the chamber for several hours in protest over the decision.

Cork's Deputy Lord Mayor, Fianna Fail's Kenneth O'Flynn, said they had given the Council a list of demands which they could not meet.

Mr O'Flynn said security may have to be tightened at future council meetings in light of the protest.