Mr Justice Kelly will hear an application tomorrow by the builders of the Lee Tunnel in Cork to force fishermen to lift a blockade on dredging works in the river channel. Mr Eoin McCullough, counsel for Tarmac Construction Ltd, P.J. Walls (Civil) Ltd and Dredging International UK Ltd told the High Court that fishermen from Cobh had placed a blockade of boats under the jib of a huge dredger, known as Big Boss, to stop dredging operations.
He said the contractors had a licence from the Minister for the Marine to carry out the work but had to abandon operations because of the danger of injury to the protesters.
Mr Declan Buckley, counsel for fishermen, Mr Kevin Jones, Mr Michael Taft, Mr Patrick Stoat and Mr Ollie Ireland, said dredging had been taking place on a fishing ground on which more than 30 Cobh fishermen depended for their livelihood.
Seeking an adjournment until tomorrow to allow the fishermen an opportunity of putting their case on affidavit, he said his clients claimed there had been a breach of trust on the part of the Department for the Marine and the contractors.
Mr Buckley said his clients would say there had been agreement that dredging operations would take place in two other areas and the vital fishing area in question was to be dredged only as a last resort.