GARDAI WERE called to the scene of an attempted land repossession near Fethard-on-Sea last weekend.

Over 20 farmers gathered at the farmland of Peter O’Loughlin in Templetown, Fethard-on-Sea, at around 12 noon on Friday.

They were in attendance to protest against the repossession of the land by one of the country’s major banks. A particular point of contention was the fact the entrance to the land in question is a right-of-way. Representatives of the bank were on site and they made a number of attempts to lock the entrance gate with a chain but were prevented from doing so by the protesters.

The farmers voiced their concern over the matter and said the laneway beyond the entrance was essentially off-limits. As the bank representatives attempted to lock it the farmers said: “You have not right to block it.”

Mr. O’Loughlin also voiced his opposition to any attempt to chain the gate closed and said: “You have no right to do that because it’s a right-of-way and as such you cannot block it.”

He repeated this a number of times as efforts were made to close the gate.

It’s believed that around 120 acres of land are at the centre of the dispute and it is located to one side of the laneway.

The Gardai warned the protesters not to make threats against the bank representatives as doing so would be regarded as a public order offence.

The protesters said they would remain on site to prevent “any attempt to lock” the gate.

A number of those in attendance commented that “the banks are targeting the wrong people”.

“They’re targeting people trying to make a living and who have done nothing wrong,” said one farmer.

“They’re not so quick to chase after developers and officials within the banks,” added another.

One protester commented that ‘during the good times’ banks were “too quick to handout money left, right and centre” while another farmer said banks effectively created a bidding war for land by offering different loan conditions to different prospective purchasers even if they were interested in the same piece of land.

(For the full story see this week’s print edition of the New Ross Echo)