A €16 million redevelopment of the Dublin city centre premises of the Royal Irish Academy of Music has been put on hold by protesters preventing access to and from the site, the High Court has been told. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds granted the academy and Purcell Construction a temporary injunction preventing the protesters, or anyone else with knowledge of the order, obstructing the entrance or intimidating those seeking to enter the premises. In early June, an agreement was reached with 18 households located near the site, the court was told. After an initial “ceasefire” when protests were called off to allow discussions to take place, walk slow protests blocking the site recommenced and are ongoing, counsel said. The redevelopment works, he said, include a new 300-seater recital hall and will see the academy increase the size of its facilities by 50 per cent, allowing it increase the number of students.

Source: The Irish Times July 23, 2020 16:30 UTC