Calls for eyesore halting site to be shut down immediately

There have been calls for the Lisfannon Halting Site at Lisfannon on the main Derry to Buncrana to be shut down after the families who had been living there moved out.

Local Sinn Fein representatives Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn and Cllr Jack Murray have called on Donegal County Council to close the site after inspecting the area and the derelict caravans that have been left behind. They said the damage caused at the site would cost Donegal County Council thousands of Euro to rectify.

Deputy MacLochlainn and Cllr Murray said: "This halting site for the Traveller community was only ever intended to be in place on a temporary basis. It is a dangerous location alongside one of the busiest roads in Donegal. It also impacts on the important tourism and community amenity that is the North West Golf Links.

“Unfortunately the family that have just left have done a huge diservice to the Travelling community. The condition that they have left the site in is utterly disgraceful and indefensible.

“This site is a transient site and families are only supposed to locate there for a short while. Most families that have located there have acted responsibly but this recent family have let all of the rest down badly".

"We commend the members of Donegal County Council Traveller Consultative Committee including our colleague, Cllr Albert Doherty and Donegal Travellers Project for their mediation efforts with the family that have just left the site but their efforts must be matched by action from Donegal County Council management.

“Now that this family have left and the site is cleared, we have been advised that Donegal County Council will close it down temporarily for essential repairs. We are calling on the management of Donegal County Council to honour the long standing promise they have made to find a safe and appropriate alternative location for a halting site within South Inishowen and to close down the Lisfannon halting site".