A GROUP of craftworkers at an Údarás na Gaeltachta craft village in Dingle, who have been issued with legal notices to quit their workshops, yesterday staged a public protest in the west Kerry town.
Údarás has applied to Kerry County Council for planning permission to convert the eight units into a business park.
Some of the four tenants have operated out of the craft village, Ceardlann na Coille, for more than seven years and yesterday they accused the authority of “destroying their livelihoods and businesses”.
However, Údarás rejected their claims and said the workers had had 20 months to find alternative premises and had rejected premises offered by Údarás.
It said it had done everything it could to assist the tenants.
The four tenants, artist Claire O’Halloran; linen worker Frances Ryan of Dingle Linens; dressmaker Mandy Cremin and basket weaver Noel Treacy, said in a statement they had no wish to obstruct any local development, “but we argue that this should not be done by destroying our businesses and our livelihoods”. The alternatives on offer were in an industrial park and were unsuitable, they said.
A spokeswoman for Údarás said it had been “flexible, fair and reasonable” with the craftworkers. “This issue has been the subject of discussions and correspondence between an tÚdarás and the relevant parties for over 20 months. The individuals concerned have had the advantage of having that time to make alternative arrangements between the date of receiv- ing the original notice and the issue of legal proceedings.”