Waterford Traveller group hits out at media coverage of riot

AN umbrella group representing Travellers in Waterford has hit out at what it described as a “trial by media” after a riot on a halting site in the city last week.

Up to 50 gardaí were forced to spend last Tuesday night on the Kilbarry site on the edge of Waterford city after a bare-knuckle fist fight erupted into an all-out brawl. One local councillor suggested the site be closed down after the brawl.

But yesterday, the Waterford Traveller Community Development Project (WTCDP) hit out at the coverage of the incident, and said there was a need to highlight the serious negative impact that the media response to the Kilbarry site case has had on the Waterford Traveller community.

“The Waterford Traveller CDP strongly condemns antisocial and criminal behaviour including the incident that happened on Tuesday, May 9,” the group said in a statement.

“However, Waterford Travellers in general and particularly those living on the Kilbarry site have been put on trial by the media. The majority of Traveller families on the site had no part in the incident and were terrified and traumatised by the event, they said.

“The coverage by the media has led to fears about the impact that this biased, and sometimes racist, portrayal of Waterford Travellers will have on their lives. The

Waterford Traveller CDP have found that the majority of families on the site, like the rest of society, are law-abiding and have a daily struggle to live in third-world conditions,” the statement said.

“Local Travellers are concerned that the biased coverage will further add to their struggle to access proper living conditions, education and equality of opportunity.

“Local Travellers, including many of the Kilbarry site residents, are working hard in partnership with the settled community and statutory agencies to combat poverty and work towards integration with society.”

The Waterford Traveller CDP is particularly concerned as to how this recent media negativity will impact on Traveller children in schools.

“In addition, Waterford City Council needs to show real leadership in their commitments to providing proper accommodation in meaningful consultation with the local Traveller community.

“The disgraceful living conditions in Kilbarry site contribute to bad health, depression and further marginalisation of Traveller residents living there,” the group said.

“We are living in a multi-cultural society.

Waterford Travellers have a huge contribution to make towards this given equal opportunity, and solidarity of the settled community.”