A widowed Traveller woman who has been living in a caravan on the side of the road near New Ross for the past eight years was allocated a house by Wexford County Council last night following an injunction hearing at Wexford Circuit Court. Judge Olive Buttimer was told the local authority had no available housing or halting site for Ms Winnie McDonagh (59), who wanted to live in New Ross, where her youngest son Larry (14) is at school.
Ms McDonagh, from Co Leitrim and a mother of 16 children, was the defendant in a case brought by Ms Katherine Anne Kelly, of Newtown, New Ross, who sought an injunction restraining the McDonagh family from causing a public nuisance.
The court was told the family's illegal and unserviced camp contributed to rat infestation, litter and was a traffic hazard. Ms Kelly said she had no prejudice against the family. She and her mother had organised a petition signed by 300 locals to be sent to TDs requesting that Ms McDonagh be given proper accommodation.
After hearing that Ms McDonagh could not be allocated a house immediately because other families were ahead of her on the list, Judge Buttimer asked whether a house could be provided elsewhere near New Ross.
She was told that Ms McDonagh could be allocated a house in Adamstown next week. She directed that the house be allocated to Ms McDonagh temporarily and that she should retain her position on the housing list.