Five men and four women have appeared in Court charged with public order offences, after a protest at a centre for asylum seekers in south Dublin yesterday
The protest happened at a newly opened refugee centre on Ballyogan Road in Dublin around lunch time yesterday and resulted in a Garda receiving medical attention.
Six of the accused are from the D18 and D16 areas, while one man is from Ushers Island in D8, another man is from Raheny in North Dublin and a third is from Carlow.
In Dún Laoghaire District Court today, all nine defendants are accused of impeding the passage of a person or vehicle in a public place as well as failing to comply with Garda directions.
The accused are:
- Sean Rush (33) of Edenmore Avenue in Raheny, Dublin 5.
- Colin McGettrick (47) of Viking Harbour, Ushers Island, Dublin 8.
- David Noonan (49) of New Oak Estate in Carlow.
- Lisa Burnett of Ballyogan Vale in Carrickmines, Dublin 18.
- Kathy Kennedy Byrne (27) of Glenamuck Road, Dublin 18.
- Scott Cullen (39) of Ballyogan Avenue in Carrickmines, Dublin 18.
- Danielle McGearty (31) of Ashe Hall, Larkfield, Dublin 18.
- Megan Isaacson (20) of Hillview Grove, Ballinteer, Dublin 16
- Graham Carragher (60) of Furry Hill Estate in Sandyford, Dublin 18.
'Horrific'
A Garda described the alleged incident on the Ballyogan Road last night as “horrific.”
He told the court that a member of staff was “effectively barricaded in” by protestors despite repeated requests to let them out.
Gardaí objected to bail, alleging they were concerned with potential witness interference.
Judge Anne Watkin said that in her opinion it was a massive leap and granted bail to eight of the accused on the condition that they stay away from the centre and sign on daily at assigned garda stations.
They will appear in court again in September.
One of the accused, Sean Rush, faces an additional charge of possession of a weapon and his bail application has been deferred to next Wednesday before Cloverhill District Court.
Main image: Dún Laoghaire District Court. Image: Photo: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie
