A decide has warned a Traveller couple they are going to be jailed except they take away their live-in caravan from a roundabout in Limerick.
Limerick Metropolis and County Council provided an condo to the couple, Teresa and James Harty, care of The Caravan, Coonagh Cross Hyperlink Street, Limerick, however they turned the provide down, Limerick District Courtroom heard.
The Council introduced a prosecution towards Mr and Mrs Harty for allegedly failing to observe an enforcement order from the Council to take away an unauthorised caravan from the roundabout located close to a purchasing centre and a third-level institute, at Coonagh, Co Limerick.
“Mr and Mrs Harty are a part of a bunch of Travellers, whom there’s very severe points with, it is occurring a lot of the 12 months, the place there’s a severe visitors downside, as a result of they’re dwelling on a roundabout – it’s terribly harmful,” Will Leahy, prosecuting solicitor, Limerick Metropolis and County Council, advised the court docket.
“They’ve been made a suggestion of a pod lodging the place there’s ten residences; they haven’t any kids; they usually have refused (the provide), on the grounds that there’s a males’s hostel subsequent door,” stated Mr Leahy.
“The ten pods are operated by the Council, and three are occupied by {couples}, and we (the Council) consider the refusal of the provide is an unreasonable refusal,” Mr Leahy added.
Teresa and James Harty’s barrister, Nicholas Corridor BL, described James Harty as being “a weak particular person”, whose well-being might be put “in danger” if he was residing subsequent door to different weak individuals staying on the hostel.
Mr Leahy reiterated that the Harty’s caravan was “parked on a serious visitors route on a roundabout” positioned near the “TUS” (Technological College of the Shannon) and a “Tesco”, and the location of the unfinished €30 million “Northern Distributor Street”.
Numerous unauthorised caravans, belonging to different Traveller people and households, had allegedly been “blocking entry” to the roadway which has but to be accomplished, stated Mr Leahy.
Mr Corridor stated his directions from the Harty’s was that they weren’t blocking any highway entry, and that in the event that they had been pressured to maneuver from the world, they’d be “liable to homelessness”.
Choose Michael Ramsey imposed a two-week jail sentence on the couple, which he suspended for 12-months, given that Mr and Mrs Harty’s caravan is faraway from the world and didn’t return in the course of the subsequent 12 months.
One other couple, Michael and Marie McDonagh, care of The Caravan, Coonagh Hyperlink Rd, Limerick, appeared earlier than the court docket for allegedly failing to stick to an order from the Council to take away their caravan from the identical space.
Mr Leahy stated the Council provided the couple a spot to reside however that they didn’t interact with the native authority.
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Mr Corridor stated it was his understanding that there had been some engagement between the events in regards to the matter.
Mr Corridor stated Mrs McDonagh was in receipt of a incapacity allowance, and he utilized without cost authorized assist on the couple’s behalf.
Asking the court docket to finalise the matter, Mr Leahy advised the decide: “We (the Council) are underneath appreciable stress concerning this roundabout.”
Choose Ramsey granted authorized assist to the McDonaghs and adjourned the case to Could 2nd.
