Anton McNulty
A CASTLEBAR-based county councillor has claimed that settled Travellers living in housing estates are making the lives of their neighbours a misery and ‘they could not get out quick enough’.
The outburst came from Labour councillor Johnny Mee at yesterday’s (Monday) meeting of the Castlebar Electoral Area Committee which was held at the Lough Lannagh Holiday Village. He made his comments after complaints had been made of Travellers coming into the town during the summer and causing difficulties for residents. Cllr Mee said that Travellers had parked near St Anthony’s Special Needs School and they had to keep their gates closed because of their presence.
“The softly-softly approach seems crazy because the law makes it almost impossible to move them on. Unfortunately, the lives of residents are being made a misery. I have had people calling me and they are saying their life is a misery from them. Young men and women are delighted to get a house but they can’t get out quick enough. Life is a misery for some people having to live next door to them. You can call me a racist but that is the reality of the situation,” he said.
Cllr Al McDonnell brought up the issue at the meeting after explaining that a number of large camper vans had arrived overnight and had taken over many public and private roads. He said they were causing disruptions to the residents and called for greater powers to be given to the Council.
“There are unwanted visitors coming to the town in camper vans and they are taking over many private homes. A recent example occurred along the Belcarra Road, at Saleen, when overnight camper vans costing around €70,000 arrived. A number of them have private houses and they are causing great disruption for people using the road,” he explained.
Cllr Paddy McGuinness said he shared the concerns of Cllr McDonnell and added that there were problems every year at Knock and Croagh Patrick because of the huge influx of Travellers. He said a possible solution would be for them to be allowed to use camping facilities at the same rate as everyone else, and called for the facilities to be made available.
