Halting site ‘underused’
SINN Féin Councillor Chris MacManus voted in favour of refurbishing Glenview Halting Site.
Taking to his feet before the vote, Cllr MacManus said his party approached the proposal by focussing on the issue of social housing need.
“We in Sinn Féin wish to base our decision on the facts.
“The Glenview Halting site has been massively underused for nearly ten years with substantive parts of it lying idle.
“There are fifteen Traveller households in the county in unauthorised or overcrowded caravans which could be addressed by this proposed refurbishment.
“Several of them have requested halting bays as a longterm or interim solution.
“The Department of Housing have approved nearly ¤900,000 for this refurbishment project and another 840,000 to build three housing units to address the needs of the existing families on site.
“These facts taken together show that there is a demand and substantial finances avail- able to maximise the use of the existing Glenview site.
“If any other proposal relating to the refurbishment of existing social accommodation that was lying vacant came before the Council it would be endorsed without question.
“That is why Sinn Fin is supporting the motion here before us,” he told members.
“Finally, can I say this: this process has not improved relations between some within the travelling community and the Council.
“The resignation of members, sitting on the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee is regrettable and questions have been asked about the quality and effectiveness of this statutory agency.
“Further actions, such as diggers arriving on site before any decision was taken by this council were unwarranted and caused further tensions,” he said.
“However, I would appeal to those members who resigned from the LTACC to re-consider their decision.
“There are important voices that must be heard if we are to engage on the matter of traveller accommodation in the long-term,” he concluded.
Cllr Gino O’Boyle said the proposal was “not only an attack on the Travellers, it’s an attack on the people of Forthill.”
He asked would the same proposal be passed for Strandhill or Rosses Point.