Two caravans parked near the Curragh Racecourse attracting others, court hears
High Court Reporters
Two caravans, which have been parked at lands near the Curragh Racecourse in Kildare, are attracting others to do the same thing, the High Court heard.
The Minister for Defence owns the lands on which the caravans are parked and is seeking injunctions preventing trespass.
The minister's barrister, Kelley Smith SC, told the court on Friday that "waves of trespassers" have been arriving on the lands since earlier this year.
Two caravans owned or occupied by Nicole O'Brien and her husband have been there for some time despite the fact that the minister obtained an interim injunction a year ago against her and a large number of other caravan dwellers who had trespassed on the land.
The other caravans left the area before a full hearing of the injunction application could take place.
Ms Smith said it had been decided last year not to proceed any further with the injunction against Ms O'Brien as she was heavily pregnant at the time and had four other children.
However, it was now the minister's position that the presence of Ms O'Brien's caravans was attracting others to do the same thing, and counsel now wanted to proceed with its injunction application against her.
Reginald Garrett for Ms O'Brien, who last month told the court the case may involve an issue of discrimination as caravans have been parked on these lands for many decades, disputed the claim that his client's caravans were attracting others.
He said the two caravans associated with Ms O'Brien were on one side of the Curragh, and the others that had arrived recently were on the other side.
Mr Justice John Jordan set a date next month for the hearing of the case against Ms O’Brien.
He also granted an order that 28 other individuals, who have recently arrived with caravans, be joined to the injunction proceedings.
The minister claims there has been a history over the decades of caravans coming from England or France and parking on the land over the summer.
Apart from interference with normal racecourse-related activities and the use of a firing range by the Defence Forces, there was the attendant problem of serious dumping on the lands, which costs tens of thousands to clean up, with the bill in 2024 coming in at €185,000.
