‘Dumping is not the fault of Travellers’

A TRAVELLER who is running in the local elections has hit out at criticism of the illegal dumping and fires surrounding the Spring Lane halting site.

TJ Hogan, a 24-year-old activist from Farranree, said the dumping and burning of rubbish is not the fault of Travellers.

He has also responded to calls by Fianna Fail’s Cllr Kenneth O’Flynn for the closure of the unofficial dump at Ellis’s Yard, beside the halting site.

Mr O’Flynn is planning to bring a motion before Cork City Council to have the halting site closed.

Locals in the area have concerns about dumping, rat infestations and fumes from fires.

Cork City Fire Service were called to Ellis’s Yard almost 80 times in a nine-month period last year to deal with fires.

However, Mr Hogan said that the issues of fires and rubbish in the area are down to a lack of action by local authorities to address issues at the site.

He said that up to 40 families on the site are reliant on two skips for rubbish, which are emptied once a week. Mr Hogan argues that residents of the site are left with little option other than to burn rubbish because of not having a better waste collection service.

He said that people need to bear in mind that if they are not happy with the halting site near them, the residents of the site are not happy to live on it because of the conditions.

He added: “What makes people think Travellers like those conditions? These people are human beings and have lives.”

He is the accommodation policy officer with the Irish Traveller Movement.

The site was opened as an emergency measure almost three decades ago, for 10 families.

However, there are now almost 40 families living there on 10 bays — with poor electrical connections, flooding issues, a lack of toilet facilities and a potholed road.