Staff members at Kilfinane National School in Co Limerick attempted to get things back to normal at the school today after a stand-off last night with a number of sub-contractors who removed equipment from the school.

A total of 149 pupils attend the school and parents were asked to bring children in late today.

The school was due to close early as clean-up work continued.

Fire doors, partition doors and cloakroom fixtures and fittings were removed by the sub-contractors yesterday afternoon.

They claimed they were owed money for their work and had not been paid.

The school authorities secured a High Court injunction last night preventing the workmen from removing the school equipment and from trespassing on the school grounds.

In line with the injunction and following commitments about payments today from the main contractor DBP construction, the men brought back the equipment last night and re-installed the doors.

School Principal Siobhan O’Flynn said they were involved in a clean-up operation today, as some of the children’s art work and books were damaged during the incident yesterday.

Some of the doors still need work she said, and that will take a number of days to finish off.

She said the whole episode has left her and her staff exhausted, and has left a bad taste in everybody's mouth.

However, Ms O'Flynn said they have had wonderful support from the community, and they are determined to be resilient.

In addition, she said she believes the operation by the sub-contractors was very well planned and their actions had left staff, pupils and parents shocked that the school would be targeted in a dispute about payment which had nothing to do with them.

She said there is still a lot of follow-up work to be done with the Department of Education, and with their own legal representatives.

She confirmed that the school insurance will cover the legal costs of having to go to the High Court and seeking an injunction.