FG propose draconian laws for travellers

Travellers who illegally camp on public land face having their caravans confiscated and sold under new laws proposed by Fine Gael.

Fine Gael published a new Bill which would enable a notice to be served on travellers demanding that they move within 24 and 72 hours.

Those who ignore the notice face prison for up to a month and a maximum fine of £1,000.

Officers would then be able to move into the camp to forcibly remove mobile homes. The same penalties could be imposed on those who try to block the gardai.

After the mobile homes have been seized their owners would have one month to pay the cost of the removal or see the vehicle sold. The proceeds would then be given back to the owner minus the removal fee.

Fine Gael launched the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill today but it will not be debated in the Dail, until the end of the year at the earliest.

Traveller groups said the changes were unnecessary and unwelcome.

In an initial response to the Bill a spokeswoman from the Irish Traveller Movement said: ‘‘We would be opposed to any change in the laws, particularly when it is being targeted at travellers and we would be lobbying in that direction.

‘‘Changing the laws of trespass affect a whole range of people, not just travellers so this kind of legislation needs to be very carefully thought through.’’

She added: ‘‘Travellers do not want to be on private land when they have no right to be there.’’

The powers of local authorities against travellers had been increased in recent years and further changes were unnecessary, she said.

Fine Gael said it launched the action after months of ‘‘cat and mouse’’ struggles between local authorities and traveller groups.

Currently, councils have to pay up to £4,500 to get an injunction from the High Court to have travellers moved on.

This can take up to three weeks, by which time more litter and mess has been left for the council to clean up, a party spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a group which provides educational and social courses for travellers in Cork has been consistently turned down when trying to buy premises for a new office, despite having £500,000 to spend, it emerged today.

Dave McCarthy, an outreach worker with the Cork Traveller Visibility Group, said despite securing Government funding they are still stuck in their two-room building in Cork.

‘‘When we get close to buying a premises the owners of those premises are reluctant to deal with a traveller organisation,’’ he said.

‘‘The most glaring example was when we got our deposit back in the post. When we followed it up later the lame explanation was that the property was already sold, but in fact that property is still for sale,’’ he added.