Concern over Traveller housing in Barndarrig

January 2005

WICKLOW County Council’s proposal to accommodate Travelling families in three local authority houses being built in Barndarrig looks set to receive a bumpy ride with many councillors voicing opposition. At Monday’s meeting of the council, Cllr Conal Kavanagh asked the director of housing if the council had looked at any alternatives to accommodating the Travellers in Barndarrig.

Cllr Nicky Kelly did not think that the council officials could gauge the amount of opposition to housing Travellers in Barndarrig.

He said that he passed the site where the Travellers were currently living and saw them burning rubbish at night. ‘ They seem to be able to do whatever they like and then the council wonders why 500 yards up the road the people are worried about them moving into the area,’ he commented.

Cllr Kelly acknowledged that the council had a statutory obligation to accommodate Travellers but said they also had an obligation to the people of the area. He added that the people of Barndarrig were frightened.

Cllr Pat Doran agreed. He said that the council litter warden sent a fine to a local businessman whose bill head was found on the street, even though it was not dropped by him. And yet Travellers were able to burn all night.

Housing director, Des O’Brien, said that three of the houses being built in Barndarrig were being allocated for Travellers currently housed in Clonpadden on land which is being compulsorily purchased for the next section of the N11.

He said his department looked at Barndarrig because it was near to their current home.

Mr O’Brien agreed that all council tenants had to abide by their tenancy agreements and agreed that the council had been ‘ less than perfect’ in this situation but they were working on it.

The situation in Kilcoole was raised by Cllr Tom Fortune who said that there had been extensive dumping in one estate there. Mr O’Brien agreed that this was unfortunate but said there was a lot of work going on there. The council was probably going to install CCTV in the estate.

Cllr Andrew Doyle said the Travellers in Clonpadden were not from the area but moved there as a temporary measure 10 years ago. He predicted that the council would be resisted all the way on the Barndarrig proposal and that they were wasting their time.

Cllr Jimmy O’Shaughnessy suggested arranging a meeting between the council and the Barndarrig committee.

Council chairman, John Byrne, said that the council had adopted a Traveller accommodation programme to take Travellers off the side of the road and had to implement that plan.