Traveller families refusing to move to purpose built houses

Grab All Association

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/video-travellers-refuse-to-move-to-euro5m-facility-in-cork-336241.html
Traveller families are refusing to move 200 yards from their old cramped halting site to a new purpose-built €5m housing scheme in a standoff over horses and other issues.
Cork City Council unveiled the new St Anthony’s Park scheme which it has developed in Hollyhill, on the city’s northside, yesterday.
It has been designed specifically to accommodate members of 16 Traveller families living in the nearby city-run halting site

The council said it plans to begin relocating the families next Monday, when the old halting site will no longer be deemed an official halting site. It is understood that those who do not move will be technically classed as trespassers. It is then proposed to rezone the old halting site to facilitate another massive expansion of Apple’s campus.

However, just seven Traveller families have signed up for Monday’s big move.

City Hall said housing officials have made “strenuous efforts” over the last 18-months to meet all the requirements and individual needs of the families.

But Traveller Visibility Group (TVG) spokesperson, Chrissie O’Sullivan, said several still have “outstanding concerns”.

It is understood some families want facilities for their horses on the new site, and some are holding out for disturbance money.

City officials said they only have a responsibility to provide housing for the Travellers, and that has been done.
It has seven one-bed bungalows, three three-bed houses, three four-bed houses, and nine spacious bays upon which nine new caravans will be installed.

The bays are each equipped with a stand-alone welfare unit which includes a kitchen/dining area, a living area, a utility room, a bathroom, and generous storage space.

The development features solar panels and stoves with back boilers to maximise energy efficiency, built-in wardrobes, fully-fitted kitchens and flooring provided throughout.

A new community centre has been built on site to house community initiatives such as a homework club, computer literacy courses, learner driver courses and boxing. A grotto and two large green areas for recreational and play purposes have been provided.

8,700 people on the waiting list in Cork City

If they have not left the old halting site by Monday then give the houses to someone more in need on the housing list.

eviltwin

The accommodation is travellers specific. No one else is entitled to use it.

anncoates

Don't they cause regular disturbances for free? Why do they want to get paid for it?

Tipsy McSwagger

They deserve nothing because they contribute nothing

byte

Jesus, you couldn't make it up.

anncoates

Chris___ wrote: »

8,700 people on the waiting list in Cork City

If they have not left the old halting site by Monday then give the houses to someone more in need on the housing list.

Presumably it's specific halting site style houses. Not really applicable to normal accommodation.

weisses

I'll say we move over there in the weekend and start squatting

lertsnim

Disturbance money. Ha. Clear them out and give the homes to people who would be thankful for them

Grab All Association

anncoates wrote: »

Presumably it's specific halting site style houses. Not really applicable to normal accommodation.

It's still a roof over someone's head and gets an otherwise homeless family out of the cold even temporarily.

pmasterson95

What a complete waste of 5m.

Shoulda been put to building normal houses for the homeless.

sjb25

eviltwin wrote: »

The accommodation is travellers specific. No one else is entitled to use it.

Traveller specific or not I'm sure plenty would take it even one of the homeless charity's to use them as temporary housing travellers offered it they said no so fcuk them back to the bottom of the list and they can p1ss off I'm sure that would be discriminating etc etc tho

MathDebater

But Traveller Visibility Group (TVG) spokesperson, Chrissie O’Sullivan, said several still have “outstanding concerns”.

It is understood some families want facilities for their horses on the new site, and some are holding out for

You would think that they would be ecstatic at the states generousity, but nope, they want more gibs. Unbelievable.

City officials said they only have a responsibility to provide housing for the Travellers, and that has been done.
It has seven one-bed bungalows, three three-bed houses, three four-bed houses, and nine spacious bays upon which nine new caravans will be installed.

The bays are each equipped with a stand-alone welfare unit which includes a kitchen/dining area, a living area, a utility room, a bathroom, and generous storage space.

The development features solar panels and stoves with back boilers to maximise energy efficiency, built-in wardrobes, fully-fitted kitchens and flooring provided throughout.

They sound pretty nice.

A new community centre has been built on site to house community initiatives such as a homework club, computer literacy courses, learner driver courses and boxing. A grotto and two large green areas for recreational and play purposes have been provided.

A community centre, play area and a boxing gym too. Still not good enough. This is what the entitlement culture breeds. Imagine turning down a free seven bedroom gaff.

BoJack Horseman

eviltwin wrote: »

The accommodation is travellers specific. No one else is entitled to use it.

I f*cking hate that word.

sjb25

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

I f*cking hate that word.

+1

anncoates

Horse berths, built-in grottos and boxing facilities as spec

Can you imagine the middle class, hand-wringing Tristan that came up with those gems.

Bubbaclaus

They get all this stuff for free and don't even accept it...and then the people that actually contribute to society have to struggle with mortgages and the like.

Some joke.

Of course we can't do anything about it because they are an "ethnic minority" apparently. Which is also a joke.

Cee-Jay-Cee

What a fcuking joke! Disturbance money!! Disturbance of what? They don't work, they don't contribute to society in any meaningful way, they don't do anything to integrate with the settled community, they're getting purpose built housing for nothing, will not be charged rent or have a mortgage. They'll continue to get dole and a raft of other expenses and they have the neck to Ask for disturbance money. No wonder they're so hated by society.

Gatling

Give me the address of this place I'll move my family down from Dublin then when Johnny or Mary want there traveller only accommodation they can pay me and my family to move out. call it resettlement payment

eviltwin

sjb25 wrote: »

Traveller specific or not I'm sure plenty would take it even one of the homeless charity's to use them as temporary housing travellers offered it they said no so fcuk them back to the bottom of the list and they can p1ss off I'm sure that would be discriminating etc etc tho

I agree, they sound like great homes. My point is that councils won't allow non travellers to use traveller specific homes. It's discrimination.

Pumpkinseeds

5 million on 16 houses and some concrete:eek: Why can't we just have American style trailer parks where they pay rent?

BMJD

Demanding disturbance money is just their culture. Hand it over, stupid taxpayers!

hju6

Outrageous that they forgot to build the stables and equestrian center, :pac::pac::pac:

LadyFenghuang

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

What a fcuking joke! Disturbance money!! Disturbance of what? They don't work, they don't contribute to society in any meaningful way, they don't do anything to integrate with the settled community, they're getting purpose built housing for nothing, will not be charged rent or have a mortgage. They'll continue to get dole and a raft of other expenses and they have the neck to Ask for disturbance money. No wonder they're so hated by society.

I understand all posters here will be weighing in with the best of intentions.

I appreciate that. However it is worth considering apart from this story for a moment travelers are a very hard persecuted group. From Roma to Irish travelers.

Before I make up my mind I intend to read through every inch of this story and ponder. They deserve that first.

I understand a home is an absolute dream for many.

A fair minded carefully thought out thought process is best when dealing with these kinds of stories. It might be true it might not. There might be justifiable reasons or none at all.

I will reserve my judgement for the moment.

Generic Dreadhead

No mention of the fact it's genuinely walled off like District 9 :pac:

frostyjacks

Travellers that won't even travel 200 yards up the road for a free house! Lazy, good-for-nothing, inbred parasites.

hju6

Cormac... wrote: »

No mention of the fact it's genuinely walled off like District 9 :pac:

That's to ensure they are not 'disturbed'

BoJack Horseman

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

travelers are a very hard persecuted group.

No, no they aren't.

They are the definition of 'mollycoddled'.

Generic Dreadhead

hju6 wrote: »

That's to ensure they are not 'disturbed'

Eh no, it's to ensure that Guards can easily seal the place off if they need to do a raid as there's only 1 entrance/exit point

Taxburden carrier

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

I understand all posters here will be weighing in with the best of intentions.

I appreciate that. However it is worth considering apart from this story for a moment travelers are a very hard persecuted group. From Roma to Irish travelers.

Before I make up my mind I intend to read through every inch of this story and ponder. They deserve that first.

I understand a home is an absolute dream for many.

A fair minded carefully thought out thought process is best when dealing with these kinds of stories. It might be true it might not. There might be justifiable reasons or none at all.

I will reserve my judgement for the moment.

Second post...welcome Lady Troll 😏

Buzz Meeks

Before you make up your mind, open it.

anncoates

Taxburden carrier wrote: »

Second post...welcome Lady Troll ðŸ˜

Whenever a thread on a 'hot' topic opens now, I unconsciously lay bets as to when a new account with a boards logo will suddenly appear with a conspicuously antipodal opinion early on.

mordeith

I want to know when I, as a settled person, can get a free caravan so I can go on my summer holidays. It's in my culture you know, my family have been going on holidays for generations.

AlekSmart

eviltwin wrote: »

The accommodation is travellers specific. No one else is entitled to use it.

I would suggest that the Title of Traveller's Visibility Group could well be misleading.

Irish Travellers,as a rule,have little problem with visibility and tend to be highly visible..other than when they do not wish to be seen.

The TVG spokesperson,Ms O Sullivan,would do well to note the imminent arrival of the first tranche of visitors from the Mediterranian region,whose journeys from Sub Saharan Africa would rather better qualify them for the title "Traveller" over and above her Grouping.

All it will take is an astute Lawyer,and a suitably sympathetic Court,to order Cork Co Co to reallocate this expensive flagship development to the alleviation of distress amongst the Afghani,Libyan and Syrian traveller families.

That would soon test the moral-fibre of this crowd :eek:

"Entitled"....yea right

LadyFenghuang

Taxburden carrier wrote: »

Second post...welcome Lady Troll 😏

It's certainly not a nice thing to call a lady. I am ...taken aback. I'll forgive you though. :-)

I simply have witnessed quite wild and vitriolic prejudice against this social group to the extent that I now feel I must go through every story with a fine toothed comb. And for both sides.

It's genuinely not trolling.

Just to be clear, seven of the 16 traveller families are already moving in.

Nine others have concerns. Those concerns include their horses' welfare.

We don't actually know how many travellers are looking for disturbance money: by that, it's not clear what is meant by disturbance money: does it relate to the expenses involved in such a big move, for example?

That article doesn't sit right with me, especially the way it repeatedly refers to the Apple site being adjacent, as though readers should be worried about the ongoing presence of Apple or something?

By the way, afaik this is the site the travellers currently live in, in case anyone thinks they've been living in the lap of luxury
http://www.newstalk.com/Irelands-Shantytown

Turtyturd

300,000 wasted providing protection for the contractors carrying out the work.

I am still trying to fathom that bit, I'll come back with a funny comment once I get my head around it.

RentDayBlues

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

It's certainly not a nice thing to call a lady. I am ...taken aback. I'll forgive you though. :-)

I simply have witnessed quite wild and vitriolic prejudice against this social group to the extent that I now feel I must go through every story with a fine toothed comb. And for both sides.

It's genuinely not trolling.

Of course it is! Those poor persecuted and misunderstood, social group you called them?

If you don't contribute to society and tax revenue then why should you expect a new house for free?

AlekSmart

Buzz Meeks wrote: »

Before you make up your mind, open it.

I have taken Buzz Meeks advice on this issue....I would like to suggest that the "Grottos" be demolished and replaced with Multi-Faith Spaces to include provision for Jewish,Moslem and Liverpool FC worshippers....Only then,can Cork's County Councillors claim to be totally Politically and Religiously Correct.

Put Up or Shut Up Boys.....:)

Turtyturd

Turtyturd wrote: »

300,000 wasted providing protection for the contractors carrying out the work.

Surely that's because of settled people who don't want the site located there.

There have been a number of well-publicised instances of attacks on properties intended for traveller accommodation by members of the settled community.

Perhaps the biggest scandal here is that 300k security bill, which is presumably aa result of hostility to the new traveller site from non-travellers.

byhookorbycrook

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Nine others have concerns. Those concerns include their horses' welfare.

This made me laugh. Anyone who races their horses on the main roads, abandons wounded /dying horses or lets horses to starve on commonage can't really claim the moral high ground on animal welfare.

Little CuChulainn

DCC are paying traveller families €10,000 each to let the council renovate Labre Park on the Kylemore Road. They are paying them to let them upgrade the site. €10m in total going into the renovation of 22 homes.

Falcon L

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

By the way, afaik this is the site the travellers currently live in, in case anyone thinks they've been living in the lap of luxury
http://www.newstalk.com/Irelands-Shantytown

I blame the settled community dragging their old caravans there and making that awful mess while the residents slept.

If I don't get the old weed whacker every now and then, my access lane would look like that too. But I suppose that would mean a little work for their own benefit.

byhookorbycrook

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

This made me laugh. Anyone who races their horses on the main roads, abandons wounded /dying horses or lets horses to starve on commonage can't really claim the moral high ground on animal welfare.

Do you know the 16 families in question?

Toddle off to the nearest police station and let them know if you have information that any of the 16 families in question have mistreated their horses & ponies in these ways.

Ah but you're generalizing about an entire group of people. I know that.

LadyFenghuang

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

This made me laugh. Anyone who races their horses on the main roads, abandons wounded /dying horses or lets horses to starve on commonage can't really claim the moral high ground on animal welfare.

There is a problem with animal welfare in this country and in the traveler community. It's a strange mind**** for me. I know and have seen people in the community threaten anyone who reports them. I have also seen people who work with animals over zealously persecute this group.

There is a huge problem with abuse in the traveler community. It can't however be used as an excuse for prejudice.

Real action on things like sulkie racing in the traveler community which time and time again has shown up terrible animal abuse needs to be stopped.

But I think you take one story at a time. It could be the community is totally at fault. But I would like to see first.

pickarooney

How many of youse would like to be told "feck off out of your house, Apple needs the space, we've built you a new space with a gym because you all love boxing. By the way, your pets can't come"

Little CuChulainn

pickarooney wrote: »

How many of youse would like to be told "feck off out of your house, Apple needs the space, we've built you a new space with a gym because you all love boxing. By the way, your pets can't come"

A new free house? With disturbance money too? Right next to my family? Fantastic. Where do I sign?

BMJD

pickarooney wrote: »

How many of youse would like to be told "feck off out of your house, Apple needs the space, we've built you a new space with a gym because you all love boxing. By the way, your pets can't come"

My house and land that I worked hard to pay for, yeah?

Little CuChulainn

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

A new free house? With disturbance money too? Right next to my family? Fantastic. Where do I sign?

So why are you not a traveller already?

According to your garden variety traveller-basher, travellers have it great.

Why not join ranks?

mordeith

pickarooney wrote: »

How many of youse would like to be told "feck off out of your house, Apple needs the space, we've built you a new space with a gym because you all love boxing. By the way, your pets can't come"

The travellers have been complaining about conditions at the site for years. However they moved in far more families than the site was originally intended for. They buy horses and put them on land they don't own.

Little CuChulainn

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

So why are you not a traveller already?

According to your garden variety traveller-basher, travellers have it great.

Why not join ranks?

Are you suggesting you can just change ethnic background?

Turtyturd

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Surely that's because of settled people who don't want the site located there.

There have been a number of well-publicised instances of attacks on properties intended for traveller accommodation by members of the settled community.

Perhaps the biggest scandal here is that 300k security bill, which is presumably aa result of hostility to the new traveller site from non-travellers.

Yep that's it alright.