Five Traveller families who are living in "appalling conditions" on a road near the Moneen industrial estate in Castlebar yesterday lost their High Court application for an injunction directing Mayo County Council to provide them with basic running water, electricity and toilet services.
The Travellers had sought the services pending the outcome of their full High Court proceedings against the council in which they are seeking, under provisions of the Housing Act 1998, orders requiring the council to house them in appropriate permanent accommodation or, alternatively, suitable emergency accommodation pending the provision of appropriate accommodation.
The five families, who between them have 15 children, are living on a number of sites on Moneen Road. Mr Eoin McCullough SC, for the families, said that, even if traders or local councillors objected to the families on the site, the Mayo county manager had the power to override those objections and ensure the families were given basic services.
The council said it had undertaken to provide 141 housing units in its Traveller Accommodation Programme.
Refusing the interlocutory application, Miss Justice Carroll said the Travellers had established a serious issue to be tried at the full hearing and also established damages would not be an adequate remedy. However, she found the balance of convenience lay in refusing the injunction.