COUNTY MANAGER ISSUES STRONG STATEMENT VOWING TO BETTER THE LIVES OF TRAVELLERS - Ireland

From Donegal Daily

COUNTY manager Seamus Neely has issued a strongly-worded statement on the Ballyshannon Traveller house storm, vowing to work to better the lives of the Travelling community.

Mr Neely confirmed that the completion of the purchase of a house in Parkhill was due to be completed on the afternoon of February 11th.

However the house – due to be let to Tony Ward, his wife and ten children – was burned down in an arson attack in the early hours of that day.

The fire came after comments by Cllr Sean McEniff who had said he opposed the settling of traveller families in ‘settled’ communities.

Confirming to councillors in a report that the purchase of the house had met all council guidelines, Mr Neely went on to explain the council’s policies.

“I believe that the time is now right for me as a county manager to re-affirm the council’s position with regard to social inclusion policies and measures and to outline some of the very significant work an initiatives the council has delivered on as a lead agency,” said Mr Neely.

“Donegal County Council has been proactively engaged in promoting interculturalism, diversity and integration through our work with the Donegal County Development Board (CDB), the CDB social inclusion measures group and the CDB interagency group on Traveller issues and the CDB peace and reconciliation partnership and we are fully committed to continuing with this work.

“In this regard Donegal County Council is committed to continuing to work with all stakeholders to ensure that all Travellers in Donegal have an opportunity to achieve their fill potential in all aspects of their lives.”

He said the council’s own diversity plan included policies which were anti-racist and anti-sectarian and were aimed at promoting greater integration at a local level with communities.

Mr Neely said the council policy included policies on dealing with conflicts between settled and traveller communities.

He detailed extensively the work the council does with the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee.

He said the Donegal Electoral Area councillors had been told in workshops about the purchase of a house in Ballyshannon for the family concerned and while the specific dwelling was not disclosed “details were provided as to the actual settings within which the dwelling in question was located.”