This article is from page 3 of the 2011-05-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
COUNCILLORS in Ennis have backed a proposal that would see the need for specific Traveller accommodation sites removed from the next Ennis and Environs Development Plan.
Under the planning and development act (2000), Clare County Council is legally required to make provision in its 2008-2014 development plan for the provision of Traveller accommodation in the Ennis and Environs plan area. However, with the role of the council’s Traveller Accommodation Advisory Committee (TAAC) coming in for recent strong criticism,, councillors say there is no longer a need to provide specific Traveller accommodation sites in Ennis.
TAAC Chairman, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said yesterday that he had thought “long and hard” about his proposal but had concluded that the policy had been a “disaster” for Travellers, local communities and, for financial reasons, Clare County Council. Repeating a view he expressed last week that the committee represented a “fantastic waste of time”, Cllr Meaney said there had been a “complete lack of engagement” from the Traveller community in accommoda- tion policy.
Cllr Meaney had previously told the May meeting of Ennis Town Council that Travellers’ representatives had not attended one TAAC meeting in the last 12 months.
At yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West electoral area, Cllr Meaney said Travellers could be accommodated through the provision of social housing stock, a process he described as more “efficient” and “egalitarian”.
Cllr Meaney said that the motion would be sent in as a submission to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan. He said a decision on whether or not to include a provision for Traveller sites would ultimately be made by the County Manager and the council’s planners.
Seconding Cllr Meaney’s motion, Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the council had been to the forefront of providing Traveller accommodation in Ireland. However, he added, “We have done enough for the Traveller community and now it is time to cry stop.”
Cllr Breen said that some sections of the Traveller community did not respect the fact that they are getting accommodation “gratis”.
Cllr Tom McNamara (FF), chairman of the Ennis West electoral area com- mittee, said that there was already an adequate supply of Traveller accommodation sites in the Ennis area. He said that not all of the four sites are currently being used.
Responding to Cllr Meaney’s comments, Colette Bradley, Manager with Ennis Community Development Project (CDP), said two Travellers’ representatives attended TAAC meetings in late 2010.
Ms Bradley said both representatives had “contributed very well” to the meetings and that this had been noted by other committee members. She said she was “surprised” by Cllr Meaney’s comments.