CAOIMHE McCABE,
Madam, - The report entitled "Traveller stops Boyle school using sports hall" (The Irish Times, December 6th), printed as a result of a protest by children of Abbey Community College, highlights interesting questions in relation to Roscommon County Council's housing policy.
According to the council's own housing assessment policies prospective tenants are asked to choose the area where they want to live. Three-and-a-half years ago Mr Tommy O'Donnell and his family chose Boyle town.
Mr O'Donnell and his family are now being blamed for not accepting a house two-and-a-half miles - not one mile, as stated in your report - outside the town of Boyle. But why has the county council not offered the family accommodation in the area of their choosing? Are other prospective tenants asked where they want to live and then offered accommodation in different areas?
Mr O'Donnell has nine children and his wife is expecting their tenth. Why is the county council offering this family a two-bedroomed house? The council says it has offered to extend this house. Are other council tenants expected, after a three-and-a-half year wait, to move into accommodation where major works are to be carried out?
Mr O'Donnell has stated he does not want to live at the entrance to a Church sports hall. But if he moves off that land, the Government's recent trespass legislation means the family caravan could be confiscated, he could get a €3,000 fine and be jailed for three months. The Bishop of Elphin, Dr Christopher Jones, in charge of this diocesan land, is no doubt aware of the Traveller predicament.
While the Community College schoolchildren are not allowed to use the gym, I am informed that the local brass band and boy scouts use the hall and that indoor football is played there a number of times a week. Obviously, an option is there to access the hall.
I hope that at the end of this, Abbey Community College students will understand that better Traveller access to accommodation could resolve their sports hall problem. - Yours, etc.,
CAOIMHE McCABE, Information Co-Ordinator, Pavee Point Travellers' Centre, Dublin.