Council to take action against Travellers

CORK County Council is to take legal action in an attempt to move on a group of Travellers, some of whom have been involved in a violent feud.

Assistant county manager Theresa White confirmed news of the impending court action yesterday, just minutes after a delegation from Bantry had informed council officials of the level of fear which stalks the streets of the town.

They were referring in particular to an attack on Travellers last Monday week at an unofficial halting site in the town.

Gardaí believe the attack was linked to a feud between rival Travellers in Waterford and Cork.

It resulted in two of the Bantry-based Travellers ending up in hospital with stab wounds. Three men from Waterford were later arrested by armed members of the Garda Regional Support Unit in Macroom.

The mayor of Bantry, Cllr Vivian O’Callaghan jnr, said that since last July there had been a significant influx of Travellers into the town.

“I’m led to believe 65 men, women and children have come. It’s an extremely significant influx into what in reality is a small market town. They only have a very tenuous connection with Bantry,” Mayor O’Callaghan said.

Another member of Bantry town council, Cllr Tom Barry, said local politicians had received correspondence from publicans, traders and residents who were concerned the encampment was having an affect on business and keeping people out of the area.

“People are genuinely afraid. They need to be secure in their homes, and they don’t feel it at the moment,” Cllr Barry said.

Cllr Aidan McCarthy, also from Bantry town council, said the local population were concerned that some vacant houses in the area could be used by the county council to house some of the Travellers.

Cork county councillor John O’Shea said: “People feel intimidated. Those people (the Travellers) have parked on the road, footpath and double yellow lines. They seem to be completely immune from the law of the land.”

Cllr Danny Crowley said the unofficial halting site posed a safety risk.

The assistant county manager said the council was seeking an injunction to have the Travellers removed from the site.

This hearing will take place at Cork circuit court next Thursday.

“The law takes its time. You must get evidence, hard facts. We are concerned as well,” Ms Murphy said.