Galway City Council's campaign to rid local authority housing estates of people engaging in anti-social behaviour went ahead this week when a man was banned from one estate for three years.
Mr Michael Barrett, who lives in a halting site at the rear of Sean Baile housing estate on the eastern side of the city, has been banned from entering the estate for three years after Galway City Council, in conjunction with local residents, secured a court exclusion order against him at Galway District Court this week.
In what is the first such case of its kind to be taken in the courts in Galway, the council sought the exclusion order under the Local Authority Housing Act, thus setting a precedent for other such cases. A petition containing the names of 16 residents who wanted Mr Barrett banned from their estate because of his anti-social behaviour was handed into the court.
The council had sought an interim exclusion order last month. Judge John Garavan made the order permanent this week but said that under the Housing Act he could only exclude Mr Barrett from the estate for a maximum of three years.
The courage of residents who gave evidence in court was commended by the judge and by council officials, who later warned that others engaging in anti-social behaviour in other estates in the city would be dealt with.