‘Dialogue Is Ongoing’

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A statement from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council this lunchtime, following discussions between the council and residents of Rockville Drive, Carrickmines.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke to Pat Kenny on Newstalk about the situation unfolding in Carrickmines.

Enda Kenny: “Look, the funerals haven’t even taken place of these ten people. Of course, these things have to be dealt with. But there is a procedure and a process by which you can consult with local people at a time of tragedy and say, “look, we need to use this field”.

Pat Kenny: “Do you think the council jumped the gun?”

Enda Kenny: “Well I think, I think there’s a really deep sensitivity here and obviously consultation and conversation with communities is very important. I hope that can take place today. If not already, if not already done so. The funerals of these adults and innocent children haven’t even taken place yet and obviously the council are more than anxious to accommodate…”

Pat Kenny: “Do you understand the reservations of the residents?”

Enda Kenny: “Well I think, in any community around the country, you have to balance here what’s happened. This is an appalling tragedy with ten people, loss of lives, to stand there in the site and see what’s in front of you, speaks for itself, it’ll never leave my mind actually. So council reacting here saying, ‘where can we house these remaining families in a temporary capacity?’ It’s necessary to consult, of course, with local communities. And I can understand that balances need to be got here. These funerals haven’t taken place yet. And obviously the community will respond in the way that they’ve shown their sympathy…”

Pat Kenny: “But the residents even predicted that they would be vilified for their stance, even though they feel they have a case to make.”

Enda Kenny: “Well I’m not sure, I haven’t seen all the comments about this but, if you’re going to move and make a change in terms of any kind of facility, it’s always good to tell the local community. Invariably they respond when things are fully explained to them and I hope that this can happen here too.”

Taoiseach calls for consultation with local communities over Carrickmines  accommodation (Newstalk)

Previously: ‘I’d Urge The Residents To Search Deep Inside Their Conscience’

Via Richard Chambers

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50 thoughts on “‘Dialogue Is Ongoing’

  1. well

    “But the residents even predicted that they would be vilified for their stance, even though they feel they have a case to make.”

    Well yeah it’s rather atrocious stance, anyone could predict they would be vilified for.

    1. doncolleone

      totally understandable stance, only vilified by people with agendas and generally very little clue about the world of adults. Stick to cannabis son.

        1. Daisy Chainsaw

          I’d say doncolleone’s view is being spoiled by uppity knacks looking for a place to live while they mourn their dead realtives in the biggest loss of life due to fire since the Stardust Tragedy.

    2. classter

      A council with a record of leaving ‘temporary’ sites for long periods of time, trying to railroad in another ‘temporary’ halting site with none of the proper planning, preparations or services.

      I mean, what could go wrong?

  2. Owen

    “will be decommissioned within 6 months on completion of the works at the new permanent designate site”.

    Not picking sides on this. It’s a horrible situation, the fire and now this. But that statement is essentially saying “6 months from a date we will decide later”. No commitment to a removal / relocation timeline.

  3. scottser

    exactly what are the residents’ concerns? one said the site was too small but that doesn’t really make sense to me anyway.
    this sort of feeds into yesterday’s post regarding families forced to send their kids to schools outside where they live. why would anyone want to add further distress to these families and children?

    1. well

      That’s another Oddity to this.

      The traveller famillies already live in that general area.

      Frankly i doubt the people blocking them from living want them going back to the burned out site either.

  4. ahjayzis

    Clear leadership and reassurance just radiates from Kenny.

    Our nation is blessed to have him at the helm.

    1. Rugbyfan

      Kenny is like clueless in most scenarios.
      I would like to see him manage a class of 27 students and see how it would all turn out!

  5. phil

    I hope the council are not listening to a load of racist bile from residents and then sugar coating it as ‘dialog’

    1. scottser

      from bitter experience, i know that is exactly what’s going on. but they’ll be able to address any substantive issues and disregard the hysteria.

      the main attraction for the rockville site is that the proposed field already has water, drainage and esb underground. if a quick response is needed, it’s a no-brainer.

  6. Bort

    Why are they putting them in a field at all? A field with no services? In October? Have they got their own caravans? Ridiculous stuff from the council

    1. Anomanomanom

      Why are they housing them at all. Take the deaths out of this a minute, I don’t think any one will argue about sad the lose of life us, and effectively people are being housed quicker than people years on a list and just because their travellers. Surely everybody is equal. And before people day it’s only temporary it’s nor the lap of luxury, I know people who would cut their right arm off just for a caravan in a field.

        1. scottser

          you ask why they are housing travellers at all? they’re entitled to apply for housing like any other applicant. you claim to know about travellers being housed quicker than others on housing lists? i’d like to see your evidence for that, as it just doesn’t ring true. people of all classes and in various circumstances can be ‘accommodated’, ‘sheltered’ etc. but not necessarily housed for exactly the same reasons people can be in homeless accommodations for years.

          as for your last point, if any accommodation is provided by the state it must be up to a standard. i’ll grant you that the standard in the past number of years isn’t high enough. halting sites though, provide basic utilities and washing cabins and the residents provide their own trailer. again, if the trailer isn’t equipped with smoke alarms, extinguishers etc it’s not allowed on site. as for your mate who’d be happy to live in a field in a caravan, he like everyone else is entitled to a standard of accommodation.

  7. Pat-The-Barker

    The traveling community use the law to their advantage but disregard it when applied to them. I support the stance of the residents of Rockville Drive.

    1. bob

      I am behind the residents. The letter states 6 months after the completion of the permanent site. That permanent site could be dragged out for months/years, with objections and building works and the likes. If my house burnt down, would I get re-homed within a few weeks at the cost of the state?

        1. Owen

          What has that to do with it!? Cause he pays insurance he should not get equal treatment from the state?

      1. scottser

        oh, and it’s a part 8 application under an emergency provision of the housing acts. it won’t be delayed by objections. the residents are being given a voice, but not a say in this matter.

        1. Owen

          What a narrow minded comment. The reason we are all commenting on this is because the residents decided to have a say in the matter. That’s why a meeting occurred.

          1. Owen

            You could be right… but they are entitled to a voice.

            I wonder where Paul Murphy stands on this issue. He can keep a protest going loooong beyond any gain.

            Paul? Ya here?

  8. DubLoony

    Could people not have used this as a moment of solidarity? We’re talking 4 caravans, 15 people in total who are no doubt deeply traumatized.
    Support from local people could have broken down some barriers.
    For once, there could have been a bit of humanity.

      1. ABM's Bloodied Underwear

        I’d make the same bet.

        So we have the prejudice of the hotels should be catered for, but not the residents already living in this estate.
        The council has not used allocated money to provide proper accommodation for travelers and the previous temporary halting site had been there for 7 years.
        Why would the residents trust the council saying this one will be temporary too?

        And now a load of people, secure knowing that it’s not their problem and nothing they’ll have to deal with it in the future condemn those who woke up to a note form the council saying “We’re building a halting site here, today. Oh, and we promise this time it really will be temporary, and this time we mean it”.

        The residents have a valid concern.

        1. scottser

          The council has not used allocated money to provide proper accommodation for travelers and the previous temporary halting site had been there for 7 years.
          Why would the residents trust the council saying this one will be temporary too?

          ask your local county councillor why the money wasn’t spent. it wasn’t spent because they didn’t vote for the budget submission to spend it. the site will remain temporary only if the councillors don’t vote for a proposed new development.

          1. ABM's Bloodied Underwear

            You ask and get back to us.

            I’m pointing out the lack of action and competence by the council and why should the residents now take what they say as genuine.

      1. ABM's Bloodied Underwear

        The question as I meant it to read* was “Why can’t to be put into hotels like other homeless families, for the 8 (or is it now 6) months while the replacement halting site is created?”

        *Although I’m sure you knew that.

        1. scottser

          cos placing families into hotels is expensive, not fit for purpose and takes the families out of the area where local services are provided. for the grand plus per week it costs to keep them in a hotel you could get better bang for your buck and alleviate the pressure on already traumatised families.

          1. ABM's Bloodied Underwear

            So they should receive special treatment over all the other homeless people out there.

            You must love the smell of your own farts. Someone who knows everything and nothing at once.

          2. scottser

            I know more about the housing acts than you do, boy. I know what the statutory response is and i know what a duty of care looks like.

            And yes, in the event of a tragedy like this a response should happen quickly, the same as any homeless family. I can state definitively though that the majority of homeless cases do not present with this level of trauma or visibility.

            but if you’re just here to trade insults, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Jog on. Or better still, go join the protest if you feel that strongly about it.

  9. Joxer

    so the JCB turned up to do whatever had to be done…. the residents then put a blockade in place….the authorities entered into dialogue with them. Now think back to the Water meter protests and compare the handling of that to what these protesters are doing here. Why isn’t the riot squad drafted in to move these protesters out of the way to allow the workers do their work? and why arent they being taken to court and imprisoned?

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