Emergency services called to fires at Offaly halting site

TWO separate fires broke out today at the unofficial halting site at Kilcruttin in Tullamore.

Units from the Offaly fire service extinguished both fires and a manually operated stop/go traffic control system on the road was put in place.

The unofficial halting site has been home to a number of families for many years and is separate from the official halting site on the same road.

One local resident said he had not been present when the fires started.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said the caravans and mobile homes at the part of the site where the blazes occurred had been empty for about 20 years.

He said people had been residing at the site since 1979 and those seeking better accommodation were still waiting, despite funding being provided for houses by the Government.

“They're sending back money every year, millions, because they did nothing with it. They need to step up now at this stage and do something.”

Some new Traveller-specific houses had been built in Tullamore but “half the residents” in halting sites had not been accommodated.

Another resident of the unofficial site remarked: “It's scandalous that no one has houses here.”