Fears of further Traveller violence if feud prisoners released

FEARS are growing of a resumption of Traveller violence in Kerry if some of the people imprisoned for their part in a bitter feud are released for Christmas.

A huge amount of Garda resources have already been devoted to the disturbances. Fine Gael’s Tom Sheahan yesterday called on various agencies, including Traveller support groups, to work together with a view to preventing further conflict between the warring families during the festive season.

18 men were given prison sentences at recent district court sittings in Tralee.

Mr Sheahan claimed there was “a real possibility” some could get early release and be back on the streets for Christmas. “There are genuine concerns, if they are set free from prison, the violence could kick off again. People are very worried.” In addition to what he described as “a high free legal aid bill arising from the feud”, the Kerry TD said the feud had already cost €140,000 in Garda overtime payments.

“The entire free legal aid system needs to be thoroughly reformed and nobody should get legal aid more than three times,” Mr Sheahan said. “Also, fines for anti-social behaviour should be deducted at source from unemployment benefit, if people are not making efforts to pay.

“The feud started with incidents among local families in Tralee last May. Other Traveller families, including some from Castleisland, have since been drawn into the violence... There have been several serious incidents with criminal damage to cars and houses, leading to more than 30 individual court cases.”

A large number of weapons, including guns, knives, pickaxes, shovels, hurleys, golf clubs, samurai swords and petrol bombs have been seized by gardaí. The Garda Regional Support Unit has been called to the Mitchels area of Tralee on two occasions, while the Cork-based Public Order Unit was among an 80-strong force of gardaí at a special District Court sitting, in Tralee last month.

Many of the leading figures in the feud are currently in jail and the situation in Tralee has been quiet in recent weeks.

An independent mediator has been appointed to work with various agencies involved with Travellers and the gardaí in a bid to find a resolution to the problem.

According to the Kerry Travellers Development Project, which has deplored the violence, the causes of conflict within the Traveller community are “multi-faceted and require analysis and understanding to minimise their recurrence”.