Council brings court action to clear unofficial Tipperary halting site

Tipperary County Council has brought High Court proceedings aimed at requiring members of the Travelling Community to vacate an unofficial halting site.

The action has been taken against eight persons whose presence at Cabragh Bridge, Cabragh, Thurles, constitutes a “public nuisance, the council claims.

It wants injunctions compelling the defendants to remove their mobile homes, vehicles and caravans from Cabragh Bridge, and not cause any obstruction to the roadway.

It also wants orders requiring them to vacate Cabragh Bridge, which it says is an inappropriate and unsuitable place to reside.

The Bridge itself was a part of the R659 regional road that was left following the construction of a new section of that road some years ago.

The proceedings by the council, represented by David Humphries Bl, are against William McCarthy, Elizabeth McCarthy, Mary Ellen McCarthy, Jimmy McCarthy, John McCarthy, Winnie McCarthy, Belinda O’Reilly and Ned O’Reilly.

The court heard members of the McCarthy family have lived on the Bridge for 40 years and the council has made provision for members of the family to be accommodated in a six unit group housing scheme, now ready for occupation.

The defendants, who the council claims moved to the site on various dates between 2015 and September 2018, will not be accommodated in the new scheme.

The council has offered the defendants help in securing alternative accommodation but says its needs the site at Cabragh Bridge cleared.

The council says it has asked the defendants to leave the site, but they have not done so and it thus has no alternative other than to bring legal proceedings against them.

At the High Court on Thursday Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds granted the council permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings on the defendants.

Having said the matter was urgent and there are health and safety concerns, she returned the matter to next week.