Traveller family pleads for halting site

THE mother of a Traveller family who have lived on the roadside for 18 months pleaded last night for a halting site in time for Christmas.

Margaret Faulkner and her family left an official halting site on Cork’s northside in summer 2006 after a family tragedy.

But because there is no space at any of the city’s three official halting sites — at Spring Lane, Carrigrohane Road and Hollyhill — they have been forced to live at various roadside locations since.

“We’re suffering terrible punishment,” Margaret said. “I’m prepared to even rent a yard somewhere at this stage.”

Her family has four caravans. Agens, as she is known, and her husband, Martin, live in one, two of their children — 15-year-old Nora and her older brother — live in another.

Another son and his wife live in the third caravan while another daughter and her husband live in the fourth caravan.

The family of eight has had to park in various fields around Knocknaheeny. They are currently living in a car park opposite the Glen church.

“We park somewhere, then we get a fine and have to move on to somewhere else. Then we’ll get fined again and move on from there,” Mr Faulkner said.

Agens said they are finding it increasingly difficult to survive in the difficult conditions without proper sanitary or washing facilities.

“It is very difficult to live like this, especially heading into Christmas,” she said.

“We have found it very frustrating trying to get anywhere with the council. No one should have to suffer like this,” she said.

Despite the constant moving, Nora has continued to attend school in Farranree. She hopes to sit her Junior Cert next year.

The family’s plight was highlighted by the Cork-based Traveller and Settled Solidarity group. Spokeswoman Joan Casey said that the city council needs to help the family.

“They are being ignored,” she claimed.

Ms Casey said the family would prefer to stay on the northside because they have lived in the area for almost 30 years and that’s where Nora is attending school.

A spokesman in the council’s housing department said officials are aware of the Faulkners’ needs and are working to meet them.

“The Faulkners were housed in a house in Great William O’Brien Street for several years,” he said. “But they left of their own accord and went on the roadside.”

Agens, who has a heart complaint, said it didn’t suit their needs. The council then allocated the family a bay in Hollyhill halting site.

“But they left that after the family tragedy and went on to the roadside again,” the spokesman said.

Agens said they will never go back there. The council has also offered them a two-storey house in Knocknaheeny in recent days, but the family say this isn’t suitable either.

“We have met their housing needs on two occasions and we are working to do it again, but we have no vacancies in the other halting sites at the moment,” the spokesman said.