Halting site plans to be unveiled in New Year

Plans for a new halting site in the city will be unveiled early in the New Year.

Director of Services Tom Connell said Galway City Council will bring forward proposals to elected members at the January or February meeting.

Mr Connell said the current status of the planned new halting sites under the city’s Traveller accommodation programme was at the “pre-planning” stage.

He was responding to queries from Labour Party City Councillor Niall McNelis.

Mr Connell reiterated the position that the City Council had been refused planning permission to use part of the Carrowbrowne site on the Headford Road and that it was sourcing alternative sites.

Two years ago, the City Council invited the public to submit their views on plans to accommodate Travellers over a five year period.

The Draft Traveller Accommodation Plan, covering the period 2014-2018, noted that the Council is planning to build three new Traveller halting sites to meet the projected increases in the Traveller population in the city between 2013 and 2018. No new Traveller accommodation sites have been provided since then.

Last January, the Council again confirmed it was engaged in work to identify the “most feasible sites for the development of Traveller specific accommodation”.

In recent weeks it was announced that Galway City has been chosen as the first location of a new pilot scheme for Traveller housing.

Cena – from the Traveller cant word meaning ‘house’ – aims to provide culturally-appropriate accommodation for Travellers.

Cena is a non-profit organisation whose vision it is to create an Ireland where all Travellers are accommodated in culturally appropriate accommodation that meets their needs and achieves Travellers’ right to a home within a sustainable community setting of their choice. It is expected to roll out the project next year.