Fingal County Council has declined to comment on claims by locals in Finglas, north Dublin, that they had received assurances that it would not remove makeshift stables at a site there without first meeting them.
According to leaders of the community-run pony club at Scribblestown Lane, they were told no such action would be taken until after a meeting which was due to take place yesterday.
However, early on Saturday, council officials backed up by gardaí removed the containers, which provided makeshift stables for local children, and removed some 30 horses and ponies. One of the containers was destroyed and remains on the site.
Gina Maguire, who helps to run the club, said local parents had got together to raise the money for the containers to be placed in the field. Volunteers converted the seven containers into makeshift stables.
The first container was installed three months ago. She said local horses have been allowed to graze on the site for at least 25 years.
"The stables belonged to everyone, the whole point was to have a place where they could be taught how to do everything to ensure their horses and ponies are OK," she said. "It means there are less kids on the street causing trouble . . . even kids who didn't have horses here were asking: 'can we clean the stables?'"
In a statement, the council said that the containers were illegally brought on to the land "by people unknown to us without our permission".
"We formally fixed notices to the containers on 30th August instructing the owners to remove them within seven days or further action would be taken . . . horses removed from these lands were moved to a professional horse facility where they are presently being cared for."
However, it declined to respond to any further queries from The Irish Times.
A spokesman for the Garda press office confirmed that officers had attended the scene with council officials on Saturday, and had made two arrests for breaches of public order. He could not comment on claims by locals that some gardaí were armed and others wore riot gear.
Dermot Dunne, another of those involved with the club, said locals had received assurances that no action would take place in advance of a meeting scheduled for yesterday.
Mr Dunne said he was due to meet the council later today and said it may expect locals to pay to release the animals. "Our primary concern is for the welfare of the horses, and to get the animals back for the kids," he said.
Gardener and broadcaster Diarmuid Gavin, who has filmed an RTÉ television series featuring children from the area, told The Irish Times yesterday that there were no amenities for local children.
"I tell you these kids have nothing, it is this land that is keeping these kids out of trouble," he said.
"If it was in Rathfarnham, Terenure, Foxrock or Kilkenny it wouldn't happen. Because it is Finglas, no one cares about these kids."
One local boy, Kevin Chaney (12), said his two-year-old pony was one of those removed. "We're all worried sick about our horses," he said.