Traffic is returning to normal in Dublin city centre as the protests against the water charges wind down.
Tens of thousands of people attended the demonstration outside Leinster House - which passed off without incident.
However, scuffles between Gardaí and protesters blocking O’Connell Bridge broke out this evening.
Breakaway groups caused widespread traffic disruption as O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge were closed. The South Quays also closed at George's Quay and Burgh Quay.
Gardaí say 30,000 plus attended today’s national Right 2 Water demonstration on Merrion Square - while organisers say the figure is closer to 80,000. The Irish Times, using the CrowdSize App estimated the protest size at 32,000.
Demonstrators came from across the country and even further afield with anti water charge groups from Greece and the US also taking part.
Independent TD Mick Wallace says it’s the start of a campaign that will unseat the coalition.
“I do think there will definitely be an election in ’15. I would expect early summer. Worst case scenario they’ll give us a sweet budget and call it straight after in October.
“Right now I would be surprised if they see past the summer,” Mr Wallace said.
“I think (the government) are being served notice... I think Enda Kenny should listen up,” said Mary Lou McDonald TD.
Luke 'Ming' Flanagan MEP said that some people had speculated that a turnout of 50,000 would be “a failure”. He told Newstalk he had heard some estimate the attendance at 70,000.
“It shows you that this country has woken up when the mainstream media and the mainstream political parties think 50,000 is a failure,” he said.
The main event - which finished after four o’clock this afternoon - passed off without incident. However several hundred demonstrators took the bottom of Kildare Street with some scuffles reported and one garda hospitalised after being hit by an object.
After the main event finished outside the Dáil at Merrion Square more protests developed at the end of Kildare Street where one garda was hospitalised after being struck by a missile and two people were arrested for public order offences.
Meanwhile, three men and one woman were arrested on O'Connell Bridge - after Gardaí including the dog unit moved in to remove activists who were blocking traffic. They're being held at Irishtown Garda Station.
Several hundred protesters now at the Kildare Street junction. #ntfm #watercharges https://t.co/nVxVOJKuN3
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) December 10, 2014
Earlier in the day the Environment Minister insisted nothing was going to change in relation to water charges.
