Galway Bay fm newsroom – A city council report on plans for Traveller accommodation in the city has been rejected by councillors as ‘hasty and unbalanced.’
At last evening’s meeting of the local authority, an Executive report on the 2014-2018 Traveller Accommodation Plan was presented to councillors – who expressed outrage that they were not consulted on the issue.
Councillor Peter Keane expressed concern that an effort was being made to take the issue out of the public realm.
He was supported by Councillor Pearce Flannery, who said it appeared that the city council is not interested in what the people of Galway have to say on the matter.
Councillor Noel Larkin told the meeting that there is a lot of fear in the east side of the city with rumours of new hardstands.
He said that getting new Traveller accommodation into any area is difficult – and firm but sensitive discussions with all parties are needed.
Councillors demanded that a special meeting be set-up so that plans for Traveller accommodation could be discussed at length.
Councillor Donal Lyons believes that integration with the settled community should be the ultimate aim.