Residents of Thurles, Co Tipperary, who are involved in an increasingly bitter row over plans to locate a homeless shelter in the town, have denied they are deliberately targeting a vulnerable section of society out of prejudice.

The not-for-profit charity seeking to run the hostel on Mitchel Street in the town was granted a High Court injunction in July against seven members of the Mitchel Street Residents and Business Association to prevent them interfering in any way with work on the project.

Arlington Novas Ireland said it had little choice to do so after a campaign of "obstruction, threats, and intimidation" to the project.

It also said it had halved the size of its original plans to take account of local concerns, meaning the project will now cater to a maximum of five people in one rather than two adjoining houses on the street.

Michael Walsh, secretary of the Mitchel Street Association, said he in "no way condones" what he termed an alleged incident involving contractors working on the property.

Walsh is one of the members of the association named in the injunction, but says he has only ever been involved in peaceful protest.

He said residents are particularly concerned about aspects of the deal signed between Arlington and North Tipperary County Council.

However, both the company and the council have rejected these criticisms.

Walsh said that if residents were allowed input into the issue of where to locate the hostel, he believed locals would have "no problem with the two properties [in question] being used".