Homeless Travellers yesterday stepped up their campaign to highlight Traveller accommodation problems in Co Clare by protesting outside the offices of Clare County Council.
The Travellers intend to stage a daily protest outside the offices until accommodation is provided, according to one of them, Mr Jim Mongans.
Since moving from the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh's lawn last month, a large group of Traveller families have occupied private land outside Ennis and have been given until Sunday to move.
Holding a placard with "Children at Risk on the Road, Shame on the Council", Mr Mongans said: "After next Sunday we will have no place to go and will be at risk at having our caravans impounded and being prosecuted again under the new trespass law."
Mr Mongans was one of the first group of Travellers to be prosecuted in the District Court in July under new legislation. The proceedings have been challenged in the High Court and the case is expected to come before the court on Tuesday.
Mr Mongans said: "It makes it very difficult for our children to stay in school when we are being chased around the town. We will come here (the council offices) for one hour every day until something is done."
The council has already rejected a call by Travellers for emergency accommodation until halting sites are built around Ennis.
The first permanent halting site to be built since the closure of the town's only site in 1997 is expected to become operational early next year, though it is not expected to cater for any of the families protesting outside the council offices.
Travellers previously occupied car-parking spaces at the council's car park. This resulted in €130,000 in security costs to prevent further incursions onto council property.
Ms Heather Rosen, a member of the Ennis Travellers' Support Committee, said yesterday that a meeting is to be held later this week between Ennis residents, businesses and Traveller representatives to try to identify a solution to the problem.
