Transient Traveller disruption

TOURIST counties like Clare will resemble “bombed out Beirut” if more barriers and boulders have to be erected to prevent large convoys of transient Travellers from illegal parking, it has been claimed.
Clare County Councillor, Joe Arkins, also warned at a joint policing policy meeting in Clonlara this week that communities in tourist hot spots throughout the county would be adversely affected by the return of between 40 and 50 Traveller caravans in August, unless local gardaí are given additional powers to jail Travellers who cause problems as a result of unauthorised parking.
The problem is causing huge frustration and concern amongst communities in East Clare where Councillor Joe Cooney noted a large group of about 28 transient Traveller families arrived in Kilkishen a few months ago, before moving to Cullaun Lake between Tulla and Kilkishen, onto Moynoe Cross, Cragganowen, Lisofin, the Ennis road outside Tulla, Kilkishen and then Ayle Feakle.
Raising the issue of inadequate legislation, Councillor Arkins said action has to be taken to tackle a perennial problem, which caused huge difficulties for residents in Doolin, Lahinch, Liscannor and villages in West Clare last year.
Chief superintendent John Kerin admitted it is very difficult for gardaí to impound 40 or 50 caravans because they do not have the space in garda stations to accommodate them.
He acknowledged gardaí haven’t the necessary resources to deal with a huge influx of transient Travellers but said they do take action by taking the names and addresses of those who are illegally parked to secure court orders. He said gardaí have to work in co-operation with the local authority to put structures in place to ensure there is not a repeat of what happened in local communities last year.
Councillor Arkins stressed it is not an issue concerning indigenous Travellers and said it is not an anti-Traveller issue. “Every year we see well-heeled travelling tourists with large four-wheeled drive vehicles, most of whom already have houses, going on tour for the summer,” he said.
He also claimed that the large convoys timed their arrival to perfection when Clare County Council, the courts and the Dáil are closed during August. “These Traveller convoys are playing ‘puck’ with the council. It can take up to a week to get a court order to move them and they can move a short distance away or may be about to move to a nearby location after a week anyway,” he added.
Councillor Tony Mulqueen said when a number of Irish Travellers moved into a Belgian town last year, they were advised they could only stay in a transient site for 24 hours. When the Travellers declined to move after a day, he said the military were brought in and damaged one caravan and the Travellers then had to pay €800 for its removal. They never returned.
Senior executive officer Michael McNamara warned it is impossible for the council to make every large amenity area impassable for Travellers. He admitted it is very difficult to cope with large convoys of Travellers and said that different groups of Travellers were located in three different locations in East Clare in recent weeks, which presented difficulties for the council.
Traveller representative, Heather Rosen said it was erroneously stated in previous Traveller Accommodation Plans in Clare that there was no need for a transient site, despite local authorities being legally obliged to provide one.
Stating that no provision has been made for emergency accommodation for Travellers on waiting lists, she stressed that touring Travellers would be happy to pay a fee to stay in a transient site for a period, as they can’t gain access to private camping areas.
“There needs to be more inclusiveness and dialogue to deal with this issue. Traveller representatives would be more than happy to sit on policing committees and bring forward solutions to help the Travellers and the wider community,” she said.