Two Co Clare Traveller families were yesterday made homeless after giving up the offer of moving into new €330,000 homes provided by Clare County Council.
The families refused to move into the council's four-bedroom homes on a new €2 million six-family halting site, citing "compatibility" issues with Travellers already accommodated at the site.
The refusal remained in spite of the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, intervening to resolve the difficulties between the families concerned.
Deputy Mayor of Ennis Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) was amazed that families would prefer to be homeless rather than move into the homes.
"It is hard to believe, especially since not so long ago, Travellers were picketing the offices of the county council looking for houses and now, it appears they don't want them."
One family concerned has moved a caravan on to the grounds of Dr Walsh's diocesan residence in Ennis. Dr Walsh has acted previously to provide accommodation for Traveller families in emergencies.
The two families had been accommodated in the rat-infested, dilapidated Beechpark halting site which lies in the path of the proposed €190 million Ennis by-pass. The council secured a High Court injunction ordering the Travellers to leave the halting site. The option of moving into the new homes remained but they both opted to move to unserviced accommodation around Ennis.
The council was yesterday initiating steps to offer the two vacant homes at the new site to other Traveller families included in its Traveller Accommodation Programme.
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