*Photograph: Natasha Barton
AN ENNIS family “have gone through hell” due to the presence of an illegal encampment, a Clare councillor has claimed.
Installation of a steel fence between Harnett’s Land “and the illegal halting site on the Kilrush Rd, Ennis” was requested by Cllr Pat Daly (FF) at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District.
Senior engineer, Seán Lenihan in response to Cllr Daly’s motion stated that legal proceedings were ongoing regarding the unauthorised encampment.
Lenihan stated, “In normal circumstances, the boundary fencing as installed would be sufficient and the responsibility of the adjacent landowners to maintain. It is accepted that more may need to be done in the current circumstances and to this end, we will engage further with our colleagues in the housing section and the roads section to come up with the optimum solution there”. He committed to keep elected members informed of any developments.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Daly commented, “the Harnett family have gone through hell because of this illegal encampment. It has gone from the High Court to the Supreme Court, I hope a steel fence can go up”. He argued that the inability to erect the fence was “a disgrace”.
This encampment has been in place at Ashline by the Kilrush Rd roundabout in Ennis since August 2018. An eviction of the tenants was previously ruled by The High Court and backed by the Court of Appeal in November 2021. Upwards of €200,000 has been spent by Clare County Council in a legal battle with the occupants of the encampment.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) acknowledged it was “a very difficult situation”. He continued, “Litigation is ongoing, if judgement in favour that what is happening right now can be sorted. I welcome the proposal”.
According to Cllr Mary Howard (FG), “recently they tried to raise a fence or build a wall but they were knocked overnight, horses have been frightened. In recent times, a horse’s tail was cut which to me is quite sinister, they have put up with this for years, they have put up with an awful lot. We need to do something”.
Support was also voiced by Cllr Paul Murphy (FG). “We need to try to assist people trying to live day to day and they are farming which makes it all the harder, it is part of a court process”. Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) also issued his support, “Cllr Daly works very closely with the people of the area,” he stated.
On the election canvass, the matter was raised with Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF). “I came across a lady who was heartbroken, she was a family friend, it was such a moving story so we forget it is a family that have suffered also”. She continued, “This is a human story, it is affecting them day in day out but not just this family but their larger family and friends, I hope it can be resolved, it is a short-term solution for a long-term problem”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) noted, “This is a very difficult case, those words were well spoken by Cllr Baker Bashua, it is a family in trauma for many years because of the incidents that have occurred, I met the family on the canvass trail and they voiced an appreciation for what the Council are endeavouring to do but it is taking so long, they are very grateful that Clare County Council are trying to pursue this”.
