A High Court decision today will have far-reaching implications for county councils in the drawing up of accommodation programmes for Travellers.
The court has found that Limerick County Council has failed in its statutory duty to provide for the accommodation needs of two Co Limerick Traveller families who are seeking halting site accommodation in Kilmallock.
For nearly two years William O'Reilly, his wife and three children, and Arthur Conway, his partner and two children, have lived by the roadside near Kilmallock in an unofficial halting site.
They had been provided with housing by the local council but have failed to adjust and want to be accommodated in a serviced halting site.
There is only one site in Kilmallock, which is already full and for a number of reasons cannot accommodate these two families.
Faced with eviction from the roadside and with nowhere to go the two families took proceedings against Limerick Council Council.
Today the High Court found that the council has failed to address the needs of the families.
The 1998 Traveller Accommodation Act places a statutory duty on a council to specify the provision of accommodation for Traveller families.
The High Court found that there was no espoused intention or objective to provide an alternative site in this case.
