The Mayor of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, has called for the army to be drafted in to remove large groups of travellers from illegal encampments in the town.
Over 30 caravans, cars and vans were parked over the weekend in the public area overlooking Dungarvan Harbour and the surrounding coastline.
The mayor, Cllr Nuala Ryan, claimed a scarcity of Garda personnel in the town had prevented more decisive action being taken at an earlier point in the bank holiday weekend.
"It was an invasion and I feel so sorry for the gardaí. How, could anyone expect a half a dozen to a dozen gardaí to physically remove those travellers?
"I am urging the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, and the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, to make an arrangement so that when this type of situation occurs the gardaí in a town can immediately call on reinforcements, whether these are from the army or other Garda districts".
Cllr Ryan said: "What went on is just unacceptable. The travellers used the bandstand and park as a toilet. People came out of their front doors and there was soiled toilet paper thrown outside their doors. It is a disgrace. We have bins on poles for dog 'poo' and you have human beings doing this".
Cllr Ryan also claimed "there were flares fired on Sunday night, the squad car itself was hit while another flare barely missed the roof of a house that backs on to the public park.
The travellers who prompted Cllr Ryan's call left Dungarvan on Monday.
Cllr Ryan acknowledged that the town does not have a transient halting site.