Travellers refuse house offer out of fear

A homeless Traveller family yesterday declined to move into a vacant council house in the west Clare village of Miltown Malbay because of fears of intimidation from local residents.

Clare County Council yesterday offered the Mongan family the key to the vacant home in the Ballard estate, but Mr Martin Mongan turned down the offer and has left Miltown to stay in Lahinch, 12 miles away. Since their 16ft caravan burnt down last Saturday, the 11 Mongans have lived in a tent.

"We are afraid to move into the house over the intimidation that might happen," Mr Mongan said yesterday.

He claimed he was threatened by three men on Miltown's main street. "They told me 'Get out of Miltown if you know what is good for you'. The family is afraid. We wouldn't take the chance to move into the house or stay in Miltown now."

Early yesterday before learning that the Mongans had declined the council's offer, a local councillor, Mr Michael Hillery (FF), said feelings were running high in the estate, and people were very angry. On Wednesday residents prevented council officials handing over the key to the Mongans.

Council officials declined to give residents a written undertaking that the Mongans would be out of the house in three months, which Mr Hillery said would have defused the situation.

He welcomed the fact that the Mongans had declined the house.

"Miltown is not a traditional area for Travellers, and housing them in the Ballard estate would not have been suitable," he said.

"The people of Ballard have no objection to the Mongans being housed in a more suitable location."

A local resident, Ms Margaret Nestor, said: "I am glad and relieved that they are not coming now. The council could not give us any guarantee how long they would be here. If one Traveller family comes that would bring other Travellers into the estate."

She said there would have been no intimidation from residents towards the Travellers. "We are law-abiding citizens. The residents would have felt intimidated because we have heard too many bad stories about Travellers," she said.

Mr David Joyce of the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) said he was not surprised by the Mongans' decision when they were confronted with that level of hostility based on pure prejudice.

"It is understandable and unfortunate that they have turned down the key, and the people in Miltown Malbay should examine their conscience," he said.

Yesterday the Mongans were parked on the empty promenade at Lahinch beach in a borrowed caravan. With not enough room for all nine children, aged 15 years to 10 months, four are sleeping in the Mongans' van.