Big drop in number of Traveller families living by roadside in Clare

The number of Traveller families living by the roadside without services in Co Clare has almost halved in the past two years, according to figures released yesterday by Clare County Council.

In its annual Traveller census, the council found that there are 34 Traveller families living by the roadside without services - this compares to 63 families living in similar conditions in 2001.

The drop comes as the Department of the Environment yesterday confirmed the council has spent over 20 per cent of the national capital budget for Traveller accommodation this year with the council drawing down €5.2 million of a national total of €23.7 million.

This year, the council spent €4.3 million to house 12 Traveller families and is to open two further halting sites next year. The council is in the process of spending over €12 million to accommodate 53 Traveller families. The lack of Traveller accommodation in Clare since 1997 has been the source of continuing tensions between the council and Travellers.

However, at the recent opening of a completed Traveller accommodation unit in Ennistymon, council officials were presented with a drawing from the families moving into the houses in thanks for the work carried out.

Council director of service, Mr Tom Coughlan, said yesterday: "It was the first time that Travellers had shown appreciation for what we were doing. It was great to get it and it shows us that we are going down the right road." However, accommodation officer with the Irish Traveller Movement, Ms Clare Davey, yesterday said: "There are still large numbers of families living by the roadside without any services and that is unacceptable.

"The council is way behind in implementing its Traveller Accommodation Programme and that is not good enough. There are a number of counties with no Travellers by the roadside and Clare still has a high number." While Mr Coughlan said the council is very slow to initiate legal action against Travellers, Ms Davey said the council is one of three local authorities that have used the contentious trespass legislation on a regular basis.

She said: "The families are being pursued by the council through no fault of their own as the council has not put in place the Traveller accommodation programme. The legislation itself should be repealed." Ms Davey said the controversial trespass legislation has been used 40 times in Clare.