Eight Traveller families illegally parking on a site beside local authority housing in Ennis, Co Clare, were congratulated yesterday by a judge for the cleanliness of the area where they are living. Judge Albert O'Dea made his comment before dismissing an application by Ennis UDC to have nine caravans evicted from the site.
Ennis Town Clerk Mr Tomas Ryan told the court there is fear in the area as a result of the large number of Travellers living there and he was very concerned at the growing alienation between the settled community and the Travellers.
Judge O'Dea said Ennis UDC had no serviced site to house the Travellers, if he did make the order to remove them.