Eight Traveller families will this morning take Mayo County Council to the High Court in an effort to force it to provide them with emergency facilities.
The families have been living by the side of the Moneen Road outside Castlebar for over three years without running water, a toilet, electricity, lighting or refuse collection.
Mr Seamus Maughan (44), who has four children under 16, and four grandchildren aged between five years and two months, says the most difficult thing is the lack of running water.
"We have to use the tap at the garages. The nearest one is about quarter of a mile away. We go down with containers, and to be honest you spill half it on the way back. It can be very messy.
"The water has to be boiled then to wash the children and the babies.
"They are very hard to keep clean because when it rains the ground gets soft and the mud comes up through the few stones we put down ourselves," he said.
Getting the children ready for school in the morning took over two hours, mainly because of the problems with washing.
To bathe themselves the adults and older children go to the showers in the public swimming baths in Castlebar, while they go to the local garage to use the toilet.
"If the children have to go in the middle of the night we have to bring them out to the field and clean it up. That's what the women have to do, too. And because there's no light it can be dangerous.
"It's hard to believe it's 2004. It's like crimes against humanity."
Asked about the children's health, Mr Maughan said it was "not too bad", although he went on to say that they had frequent chest infections.
"The baby, Clinton, has one at the moment and Martina (3) has had bronchitis for a long time."
While outlining other difficulties - including the fact they must visit a launderette several times a week and that they have solid fuel heating in just one of the four caravans - he says the greatest concern for his wife and daughter-in-law was the safety of the children.
"Well, we are right beside the main road with oncoming traffic, and it's hard to keep the children in because they always want to be out mooching around and playing."
The families have had their names on the council's housing waiting list for four years, says Mr Maughan, and would ideally like houses.
"They've been out and seen the conditions we're living in and they say they can't give us the basic facilities. We would just like someone to come and patch things up a bit, make life bearable."
A spokesman for Mayo County Council said today's case was one of a series ongoing. "We have provided temporary services in other locations, but the current location at Moneen Road is unsafe for the families".
The council has not proposed another location. The spokesman said the council hoped the court would provide a resolution "acceptable to all".
