A site sold by the Diocese of Elphin to Sligo County Council for a nominal fee to house Traveller families in 1973 has been purchased by a Traveller, and subsequently sold by him to a property development company for €300,000.
The council sold 0.1740 hectares of the land at Caltragh close to Sligo town to Mr Paddy Sweeney, for €1 last June and the entire site incorporating a further 0.1578 hectares has recently been sold on by him to Kevinsfort Limited which has planning permission for 42 houses at a site nearby.
It is understood the Caltragh site, close to Sligo Town, will give the development company better access to its own site which is adjacent to Sligo's proposed inner relief road.
The former Traveller site was sold to the council for £1 in 1973 by the Elphin diocesan trustees for a construction of two houses for Traveller families.
In 1975 two families, the Sweeneys and the Wards, moved onto the site, the latter family subsequently vacating their house.
Mr Sweeney remained living at Caltragh with his extended family and in 1982 he became the owner of approximately 0.1578 hectares of the site under the tenant purchase scheme, which included the house.
He was in possession of the remainder of the site, (0.1740 hectares) for some time and which was used for accommodating family members in mobile homes and caravans.
Mr Sweeney who has since bought a farm in Hollymount, Co Mayo, requested the council in June to dispose of the portion of the property in council ownership to facilitate him in addressing his housing needs.
A report obtained by The Sligo Champion under the Freedom of Information Act stated it had been agreed that additional ground would be required at this location to develop accommodation for Mr Sweeney's extended family.
This was no longer a viable option given works which were required to facilitate the proposed inner relief road.
The motion to dispose of the land for €1 to Mr Sweeney, a former member of the local Traveller consultative committee was proposed by Sinn Féin councillor, Sean McManus, and seconded by Fianna Fáil councillor, Albert Higgins.