€2m halting site lies empty due to lack of stables

A NEW €2 million Travellers halting site remains unoccupied in Limerick five months after completion because there is no stabling for horses.

The site in Castletroy, which is manned by 24-hour security, has accommodation for seven families.

A dispute has arisen between Limerick County Council and the families over the lack of stables.

The O’Reilly, McCarthy and Ryan Traveller families have refused to move in because of this.

Limerick Travellers Development Group accommodation officer Bridgie Casey said the Travellers involved are being denied their culture and are not having their rights respected.

“We feel that even though consideration was given to the immediate accommodation for Travellers, little thought was given to the fact that Travellers are an ethnic minority group with a history and culture all of their own,” she said.

She said the tradition of keeping horses is engrained in the Travellers’ way of life as well as it being part of their economy.

“To take this away from them would be detrimental and have a very negative effect on the well-being of this already vulnerable group in Irish society,” Ms Casey said.

Construction on Kilmurry view was completed last December at a cost of €2,035,000.

A spokesman for Limerick County Council said they could not comment on the matter as it was “a legal issue”.

There are seven bays in the site for the families. Seven housing units have living room, kitchen and bathroom facilities with space for caravans and mobile homes alongside each unit. There is also a communal centre.