“Breakdown in trust” on Traveller Committee
QUESTIONS have been raised as to why all the Traveller representatives on the County Council’s Local Traveller Consultative Committee recently resigned.
Members received a media statement from the Council on Friday 18th May indicating that the Traveller representatives on the Council’s Local Traveller Consultative Committee had all resigned.
Councillor Declan Bree raised the issue at the meeting and said there was no indication as to why or when they resigned.
“The resignations will surely have significant implications for the Council and for any future proposed Traveller Accommodation Programme,” he said.
“All of us are aware that the traveller representatives on the Traveller Consultative Committee have played a hugely important role in the work of the Committee over the years and they have been extremely helpful in terms of the development of the Council’s Traveller Accommodation Programmes.
“The reason the Council’s Consultative Committee worked well was because of . the level of consultation with traveller representatives.
“The resignation of all the travellers from the Consultative Committee is unprecedented and must clearly be a matter of deep concern.
He asked for clarification or a report regarding the “crisis” from either the Executive or the councillors on the committee.
Councillor Seamus Kilgannon said a meeting took place on the Thursday and that fol- lowing a debate on Glenview, the Traveller representatives “felt decisions were being taken without consultation.”
“I would appeal to them and people in the Council to bring about a situation whereby they can come back because consultation is so important.
“Without them I don’t see how we can make any progress,” he added.
Cllr Bree said there was a “major breakdown in trust.”