This article is from page 4 of the 2008-10-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
RESIDENTS who were holding a round-the-clock protest outside a house which was bought by the local authority have moved their marquee.
The protest is continuing at the side of the house in Cullinagh estate on the Ballina side of Lough Derg and it is thought that the marquee may have been moved on foot of a request from Gardai as it had previously been on the street in front of the house.
But the protest is still continuing, sources close to the row have re- vealed.
Residents have been protesting since Tipperary County Council bought the private home to accom- modate a family of ten Travellers at a cost of €465,000.
The protesters have claimed the council is acting outside it’s own pol- icy for housing Travellers by spend- ing such a large sum on an unfinished house and they recently went to court in a bid to stop the council signing a tenancy agreement on the property with the O’Reully family.
High Court Judge Mr Peter Justice Charleton ruled against the residents application for a judicial review on the grounds that members of the
Travelling community have the same rights to be housed as anyone else and as much as he himself had. He also rejected the resident’s applica- tion to prevent the council signing a tenancy agreement before a decision in the review could be made by the High Court.
The residents have been taking fur- ther legal advice and are thought to be considering an appeal but asso- ciation chairman, Paddy Collins said they are not in a position to comment on any developments at the mom- ment. ““We will be guided by our le- gal advice and that is all we can say at present,’ he said.
The O’Reilly family, who are at the centre of the row have been living in the lakeside town for nine years in a number of caravans, a short distance from the property in dispute.
Last night, Tony O’Malley, solicitor for the family also declined to com- ment at present.
He said previously that the O’Reilly’s are “very upset. They have been under a lot of pressure because of this. They are a family which has lived here peacefully for many years. They have helped with community events, their children are going to school in the area.”