Gardai are called to firemen’s picket

May 1994

Gardai had to be called to the County Hall in Wexford twice on Monday afternoon after disturbances at the entrance gate, where striking firemen were picketing the monthly meeting of the County Council.

According to a spokesman for the Gardaí, the received a report of a disturbance just before the meeting was due to start. They went to the scene, where they remained for a short while.

It is understood that a number of people were intimidated as they made their way to the meeting. Some councillors had to leave their cars outside beside they were not allowed access to the car park.

Other people, including this journalist, where subjected to remarks from the picketers as they drove their cars into the car park.

At 5 p.m., the Gardaí had to be called again when Council staff members had difficulty in getting out of the car park because of the picketers, who were walking slowly up and down the gateway.

SIPTU Branch Secretary Michael Wall, who was on the picket line from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., said he considered it to be ‘good humoured’, and denied that there had been any disturbance.

However, he added that sometimes picket lines get heated and emotive.

He said that SIPTU had a right to ask people for support at the gate to the County Hall, and they were exercising that right.

He admitted that cars did have to stop at the gate, but said they were able to negotiate their way through the picket line.

He suggested that some councillors might have left their cars outside the car park in ‘an act of solidarity’ with the strikers.

When pressed on the issue, he said that he wouldn’t condone remarks being passed at people who crossed the line.