Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it was lucky that no-one was injured during scuffles that broke out as he arrived for a Fine Gael meeting in Sligo tonight.
Mr Kenny declined to do an interview with RTÉ and some other media outlets but told local newspapers and Ocean FM that commitments had been given by the protest organisers that the road into the hotel would not be blocked.
He said those commitments were reneged upon and they have questions to ask themselves about that.
RELATED AUDIO & VIDEO
Watch: Protesters surround Taoiseach's car in Sligo
Watch: Ruth Coppinger says Joan Burton is 'not a victim'
Watch: Bomb threat at Minister Kelly's office
MORE RELATED CLIPS +
Mr Kenny said that he had every regard for peaceful protests, which are part of our democracy.
He said, however, that from what he could see and hear the protesters had no regard for women and children.
A crowd of up to 400 people were involved in the protests and it was peaceful up to the time Mr Kenny’s car arrived at the Sligo Park Hotel around 7.30am.
At that point some protesters moved on to the road leading into the hotel and blocked Mr Kenny's car and the car in front of it.
They banged on the vehicle and shouted as gardaí tried to get them away and allow the cars to drive in.
The incident lasted several minutes and after the cars managed to get through the crowd, scuffles continued between gardaí and protesters.
A woman, who gardaí said fainted, was treated by paramedics after an ambulance was called to the scene.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that water charges may not come into effect until after Christmas under plans expected to be announced by the Government on Wednesday.
A report in the Irish Times says that charges are being suspended for three months and households will not be charged for water until after Christmas.
Originally, households were to be charged for the water they use from the start of October and the first bills were due to arrive in January.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said today that the Government’s package of measure on the water charges will be based on the principles of affordability and providing certainty.
A simplified system is expected to be agreed by the Cabinet tomorrow ahead of the plan being outlined in the Dáil on Wednesday.
It is understood that households with one adult will pay €76 and that all other households will pay €178.
It is also speculated that one adult per household will be required to register with the Department of Social Protection to qualify for a universal water support payment of €100.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it was lucky that no-one was injured during scuffles that broke out as he arrived for a Fine Gael meeting in Sligo tonight.
Mr Kenny declined to do an interview with RTÉ and some other media outlets but told local newspapers and Ocean FM that commitments had been given by the protest organisers that the road into the hotel would not be blocked.
He said those commitments were reneged upon and they have questions to ask themselves about that.
RELATED AUDIO & VIDEO
Watch: Protesters surround Taoiseach's car in Sligo
Watch: Ruth Coppinger says Joan Burton is 'not a victim'
Watch: Bomb threat at Minister Kelly's office
MORE RELATED CLIPS +
Mr Kenny said that he had every regard for peaceful protests, which are part of our democracy.
He said, however, that from what he could see and hear the protesters had no regard for women and children.
A crowd of up to 400 people were involved in the protests and it was peaceful up to the time Mr Kenny’s car arrived at the Sligo Park Hotel around 7.30am.
At that point some protesters moved on to the road leading into the hotel and blocked Mr Kenny's car and the car in front of it.
They banged on the vehicle and shouted as gardaí tried to get them away and allow the cars to drive in.
The incident lasted several minutes and after the cars managed to get through the crowd, scuffles continued between gardaí and protesters.
A woman, who gardaí said fainted, was treated by paramedics after an ambulance was called to the scene.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that water charges may not come into effect until after Christmas under plans expected to be announced by the Government on Wednesday.
A report in the Irish Times says that charges are being suspended for three months and households will not be charged for water until after Christmas.
Originally, households were to be charged for the water they use from the start of October and the first bills were due to arrive in January.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said today that the Government’s package of measure on the water charges will be based on the principles of affordability and providing certainty.
A simplified system is expected to be agreed by the Cabinet tomorrow ahead of the plan being outlined in the Dáil on Wednesday.
It is understood that households with one adult will pay €76 and that all other households will pay €178.
It is also speculated that one adult per household will be required to register with the Department of Social Protection to qualify for a universal water support payment of €100.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it was lucky that no-one was injured during scuffles that broke out as he arrived for a Fine Gael meeting in Sligo tonight.
Mr Kenny declined to do an interview with RTÉ and some other media outlets but told local newspapers and Ocean FM that commitments had been given by the protest organisers that the road into the hotel would not be blocked.
He said those commitments were reneged upon and they have questions to ask themselves about that.
RELATED AUDIO & VIDEO
Watch: Protesters surround Taoiseach's car in Sligo
Watch: Ruth Coppinger says Joan Burton is 'not a victim'
Watch: Bomb threat at Minister Kelly's office
MORE RELATED CLIPS +
Mr Kenny said that he had every regard for peaceful protests, which are part of our democracy.
He said, however, that from what he could see and hear the protesters had no regard for women and children.
A crowd of up to 400 people were involved in the protests and it was peaceful up to the time Mr Kenny’s car arrived at the Sligo Park Hotel around 7.30am.
At that point some protesters moved on to the road leading into the hotel and blocked Mr Kenny's car and the car in front of it.
They banged on the vehicle and shouted as gardaí tried to get them away and allow the cars to drive in.
The incident lasted several minutes and after the cars managed to get through the crowd, scuffles continued between gardaí and protesters.
A woman, who gardaí said fainted, was treated by paramedics after an ambulance was called to the scene.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that water charges may not come into effect until after Christmas under plans expected to be announced by the Government on Wednesday.
A report in the Irish Times says that charges are being suspended for three months and households will not be charged for water until after Christmas.
Originally, households were to be charged for the water they use from the start of October and the first bills were due to arrive in January.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said today that the Government’s package of measure on the water charges will be based on the principles of affordability and providing certainty.
A simplified system is expected to be agreed by the Cabinet tomorrow ahead of the plan being outlined in the Dáil on Wednesday.
It is understood that households with one adult will pay €76 and that all other households will pay €178.
It is also speculated that one adult per household will be required to register with the Department of Social Protection to qualify for a universal water support payment of €100.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
