‘It’s a dangerous precedent’ - Bree
COUNCILLOR Declan Bree opposed the Part 8 planning proposal in respect of proposed works at the Glenview Halting Site, supported by Cllr Gino O’Boyle.
He appealed to his fellow councillors to reject the proposal.
He said the proposal was “about much more than just physical planning.”
“It’s about the way this Council treats an ethnic minority, it’s about the way this Council consults with people, it’s about the way this Council carries out its business.
“Over the past 20 years the Local Traveller Consultative Committee in Sligo has functioned well, with council officials, elected councillors and travellers working together and in a spirit of mutual respect and co-operation. However that has all changed now.
“The representatives of the traveller community on the Consultative Committee have all resigned stating that there was a complete lack of consultation with regard to the plans for the Glenview Halting Site.
“The traveller representatives have accused the executive of this Council of completely undermining the role of the Consultative Committee and of developing plans for the Glenview Halting Site without any consultation or without any opportunity for the traveller representatives on the Consultative Committee to have an input.
“They say they did not have an opportunity to have there voices heard in advance of the planning process commencing.
“I find it incomprehensible that the Council Executive would proceed to develop plans and proceed to seek planning permission for a project such as this without first consulting with the Traveller Consultative Committee.
“The traveller representa- tives of the Consultative Committee feel that they have been treated with contempt and they feel they have been treated as second class citizens.
“In my view it is unacceptable for a local authority to behave in such a manner.
“The traveller representatives on the Traveller Consultative Committee have played a hugely important role in the work of the Committee over the years.
“The resignation of all the travellers from the Committee is unprecedented and even at this 11 th hour I would appeal to the Council executive to think again before pushing ahead with this proposal
“It is clear to me that if the Executive of this Council wants to have this proposal rammed through and adopted today, they can do so with the support of the majority of councillors.
“However, a word of warning - if this proposal is rammed through and adopted it will set a very dangerous precedent and will have significant implications for this Council in terms of its future relationship with the travelling community and in terms of implementing future Traveller Accommodation Programmes,” he said.