Tag Archives: traveller accommodation

SINN Féin TD Violet Anne Wynne has raised, at national level, a number of questions over Clare County Council’s track record on providing accommodation for Travellers, writes Fiona McGarry. In a Dáil debate on a report by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Committee (IHREC), she said more must be done for those struggling to secure appropriate housing. “In Clare, based on information compiled by the council, members of the Traveller community accounted for a stark 52% of the homeless figures last year, although they comprise less than 1% of the overall population,” Deputy Wynne told the chamber. “They represent more than half of the total number of people affected by homelessness in Clare. The report flags that only 2% of those on the summary of social housing assessments for 2020, which catalogues the level of unmet need for social housing, are categorised as Travellers. “These numbers just do not add up. It is concerning because without proper disaggregated data, …

AN Ennistymon school principal has intervened in a bid to secure emergency accommodation for a local Traveller family living in “sub-human living conditions”. Ennistymon National School principal, Helen Sheridan has expressed grave concern for the physical and mental health of Caroline Sherlock and her seven children as a result of living in a small caravan on the side of the road near Cregg beach, on the outskirts of Lahinch. In a letter to county manager, Tom Coughlan, Ms Sheridan stated five of Caroline’s children were “visibly shaken” by their ongoing accommodation crisis, when they returned to school in September, despite the best efforts of their teachers to help them settle back. The principal noted that her five children are good attendees and are all doing well at school. However, she said, “The children are pale and anxious and frequently tell teachers they are suffering from stomach pains.” The council stated there is one vacant family home in Traveller accommodation in …