Ashline Traveller scheme a ‘war zone’

ARSON attacks on the Ashline Traveller Group Housing Scheme in Ennis have  left the site resembling “a war zone”, according to the chair of Clare County Council’s Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (LTACC).

 

At the weekend, damage estimated in the region of €200,000 was caused at Ashline in the latest arson attack at the site. Five houses in total have now been subject to arson at Ashline, with the development now vacant and closed.

Speaking in the wake of this latest incident, chair of the LTACC, Councillor Brian Meaney commented, “The Ashline site resembles a war zone. I have seen shelled villages in the disputed regions of Bosnia/Herzegovina that are more habitable than the houses in Ashline.”

According to Councillor Meaney, Traveller-specific housing represents a significant investment by taxpayers and the local authority to improve living standards for the Travelling community but it has yielded “little or no dividend”.

“The capital costs at the Ashline halting site amount to in excess of €1.7m since 2001, not to mention the yearly maintenance costs, which is more than seven times ordinary social housing maintenance costs and other sundry improvements  that have been put in place by Clare County Council,” he said.

The councillor went on, “I appeal to all that have information as to the perpetrators of this and other incidents of damage and arson to Traveller-specific housing co-operate fully with the gardaí in bringing to justice those responsible.”

Clare County Council this week confirmed they have “no plans” to rebuild or refurbish damaged or destroyed houses at this time in either Ashline or the Beechpark scheme, which has also been the subject of arson.

The scheme at Ashline became vacant when in November of last year an arson attack was carried out while the tenants were away, leaving the only occupied house in the development uninhabitable.

The council secured the damaged house against access and closed off the development at the entrance.  Clare County Council does not have a security presence at Ashline and the site is not subject to CCTV.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, entry was forced into the same house  targeted in November and another arson attack carried out, completely destroying the property. Another house was also damaged in the weekend attack.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council stated that a preliminary estimate of damage sustained last weekend is in the region of €200,000.
The spokesperson stated, “Clare County Council is very concerned about anti-social behaviour and its impact on tenancy sustainment at some group scheme developments and is considering the future of the vacated schemes at Ashline and Beechpark in Ennis. A CCTV system at the Beechpark scheme has now been commissioned and allied to this, the security presence at the scheme is discontinued.”

Nine housing units within Traveller group schemes in Ennis have been completely destroyed by arson in the last number of years.

Following an extensive consultation process, the council in November 2012 amended the current Traveller Accommodation Programme 2009-2013.  Eighteen group scheme houses have been constructed under the current programme in Ennis and Ennistymon and while the programme initially included the progression of further group schemes, the council has confirmed that it will not be proceeding with further group schemes.

The council has appealed to the public to provide any information and assistance to An Garda Siochána in their investigation.