RESIDENTS RAISE NEW INN SITE ISSUE

COUNCILLOR CONOR KEELAN RAISES ISSUE OF TRAVELLERS AT SITE

THE issue of Travellers staying at a site at the New Inn on the old Newry Road has been raised with a number of agencies by Cllr. Conor Keelan who has called for the authorities, including Louth County Council, to act on the issue.

A number of residents contacted Cllr. Keelan and the Argus about the issue last week

In January, three caravans moved onto the site, which is owned by a private landowner, and while two quickly moved on, one has remained.

One resident told the Argus: ‘ There are vans and cars in which people are apparently sleeping in now and this is something that is of concern to residents.

‘As a resident of the area both myself and others have highlighted this to the relevant bodies but with no successful outcome.’

‘I’d really appreciate if it could be highlighted,’ the resident said.

Cllr. Keelan said he had made representations to a number of sections of Louth County Council including housing, operations and environment.

‘ There is an ongoing concern about the failure to put a stop to the encampments and this caravan has remained here for nearly nine months.

‘I have been on contact with the traffic corps of Dundalk Gardai about the vehicles being parked at this location for prolonged periods of time and I understand it is their intention to visit the site in the coming days to speak to those involved.

‘ The area where this is located is a cul de sac and it’s not a busy road and residents believe that if the road was busier, they would have been moved on long ago. But despite representations from myself and others, there has been no action’.

Louth County Council, in a statement, said: ‘Representatives of both the Planning Section and the Housing Sections of Louth County Council have been in discussions with the gentleman living in a caravan on the private lands at the New Inn on the Old Newry Road.

‘ The Housing Section have invited him to submit an application to go on the Housing List. Once this is assessed and if he meets the criteria of the Housing Allocation Scheme he may be offered alternative accommodation’.