*Photograph: John Mangan
A FAMILY moved a second caravan onto a green area in Ennis after Storm Éowyn damage and the presence of a rat had made their existing caravan uninhabitable, a court has heard.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett has remanded father of five, Martin Mongans (29) in custody for breaching his bail conditions in connection with the caravan being moved onto a public green amenity area at Clancy Park, Ennis earlier this month.
Mr Mongans is already being prosecuted for placing a caravan onto the lands at Clancy Park, Ennis between July 27th and October 17th last.
One of the bail conditions in connection with that case was Mr Mongans would not place any further caravans on the green area.
However, Gardaí have now applied for Mr Mongans’ bail to be revoked following a second Mongans caravan being placed on the green area in breach of his bail conditions.
Mr Mongans told the court, “I am being pushed aside like a black person, I am being pushed aside like a nobody”.
He said, “I don’t want a big fancy gold house. I just want something for my kids to sleep inside”.
One of the Mongans children is only six weeks old and solicitor for Mr Mongans, Tara Godfrey told the court that Mr Mongans’ wife, Bernadette acted along with other members of her own family to bring the second caravan onto the land earlier this month.
Ms Godfrey said that Bernadette was “at the end of her tether” and busy trying to protect her five children after Storm Éowyn made their caravan uninhabitable when a tree fell on it causing damage and where there was a rat in it. Ms Godfrey showed a photo of the rat on a mobile phone to Judge Gabbett.
Sgt Dominic Regan said that with the presence of three caravans on the green area “it has completely destroyed the area”.
A third caravan is owned by family relations of the Mongans and Sgt Regan said, “The presence of rodents in the area is directly due to the rubbish being left as a result of this caravan”.
He said that the public amenity “is completely destroyed”.
Asked what bail conditions could satisfy the Gardaí, Sgt Regan said, “I don’t know what conditions can be imposed to prevent the further destruction of Clancy Park. I was hoping that the caravans would be removed”.
Ms Godfrey said that the Mongans family ended up on the green area after their home at Knockanean, Ennis was destroyed by fire “in dangerous circumtances”.
A senior Council Housing official and Homeless Co-ordinator said that Mr Mongans has been suspended from the Council housing list until April 24th due to his behaviour towards Council staff.
She said that “any time Mr Mongans has come to our office he has threatened and he is abusive”.
She said that a vacant home was offered to the Mongans family last year but was refused.
Ms Godfrey said that the family refused the offer as the Mr Mongans was “burnt out and Mr Mongans’s brother’s jaw was broken and that is why he wouldn’t take the accommodation”.
Ms Godfrey said that her client had nothing to do with the removal of the concrete bollards to move the new caravan onto the site at Clancy Park.
Sgt Regan said that they arrested Mr Mongans in the new caravan where he was found asleep – the court was told that Bernadette Mongans and the couple’s five children have gone to Co Kerry.
Judge Gabbett said that he had great sympathy for the Mongans on their housing plight but he also had to consider local residents living close to the amenity area in Clancy Park.
Judge Gabbett remanded Mr Mongans in custody to Limerick prison to re-appear before Ennis District Court on Friday March 14th.
