If travellers refuse a new site, they will be removed
SLIGO’S Director of Housing has said if the McGinley family who live in Connaugton Road Carpark continue to refuse housing alternatives, they will be forcibly removed.
Bartley Gavin told the Sligo Champion: “I have said to them in person and in writing that we would like to work with them to develop the solution but if there is no possibility of this we will have no choice but to expect them to go to a new site.”
He confirmed that the option of Glenview Halting site has not been put on the table by the council despite some media reports last week.
THE father of a family living at Connaughton Road car park in the centre of Sligo says he isn’t moving and is still holding out for a house on the Bundoran Road.
Speculation was rife last week that a deal has been done with the extended McGinley family to move out of the car park which has been their home for over 35 years.
However, no talks and no deal have taken place between the family and the County Council about moving out of the car park to Glenview Park halting site at Ash Lane which is due to undergo refurbishment.
“I’m not moving. I’m going nowwhere, “Barney McGInley told The Sligo Champion on Wednesday afternoon last.
He said the situation with the families hadn’t changed.
“I want a house on the Bundoran Road. The council has forty acres there,” he said.
Mr McGinley said it wasn’t his intention to move to Ash Lane which is currently home to the Ward family and has expressed alarm at the council’s plans to move the families in together.
“I won’t move in on top of another family and I totally respect that family’s wishes,” said Mr McGinley.
“Why move if another family doesn’t want us there? That doesn’t make sense,” he added.
He said the council had not been in touch with the family and no talks were planned.
Mr McGinley said there wouldn’t be enough room for both the Ward and McGinley families to live at Ash Lane.
The Ward family has claimed they were consulted about the proposed refurbishment works and the row has resulted in the resignation of Traveller representatives on a council consultative committee.
Earlier, Mr McGinley’s daughter, Marie (19) told The Sligo Champion she would be happy to move to Ash Lane but stated that if her father wasn’t going to move then she wouldn’t.
The prospect of a move to a refurbished Glenview Halting Site appeared to be appealing to her.
“We’re moving into Glenview Halting Site. Hopefully, there will be six bays for the six families that are here.”
She said 35 years was too long fighting with the council. “We’re going to give back the car park to the council. And, we’re happy to move in beside the Ward family.”
However, the council had not been in touch.
And, if her father is staying so will all the family.
“If my father wants to stay then we’re staying. “I’ ll stay with my dad,” she says.
Last summer the council removed fencing around one of the caravans and attempted to re-paint lines at the car park.
Gardaí dressed in riot gear attended when the work was being done by contractors working on behalf of the council.