On their first day back to school, teachers and parents of pupils at an Ennis primary school yesterday faced the prospect of closing the school because of an unauthorised Travellers' halting site beside it.
According to a parent of children attending Ennis Educate Together School, Ms Deirdre O'Mahony: "The situation here is awful. The school grounds are being used as a toilet.
"The back of the school and a grass area in front of the building are covered in human excrement, and there are several dogs loose in the area."
The school, which is three years old, educates many of the asylum-seeker children in Ennis, with 20 different nationalities among its 110 pupils.
There are also a number of Traveller children from Ennis in the school.
Two additional Traveller families moved on to the site at the weekend, bringing the total to seven. The situation is the latest flashpoint in a Traveller accommodation crisis which has been continuing in Ennis since 1997 when the town's only authorised halting site was shut down.
The school principal, Mr Sean O Confhaola, said: "We feel powerless in this situation. There is a health risk and we will not be allowing the children out to play today.
"We have approached the Travellers, but they say they have nowhere else to go and they are going to remain where they are."
Speaking before a parents' meeting last night, Ms O'Mahony said that parents are considering protesting to Clare County Council for "passing the buck". The school leases the grounds from Clare County Council.
A spokesman for the council said yesterday it was reviewing the situation.
