18 March 1999 Edition
A blot on the landscape
by Laura Friel
Tensions between settled communities and Travelling people are being ``stirred up'' by public representatives who should know better, says Sinn Fein Assembly member Mary Nelis. Mary was commenting on the current controversy surrounding an application by the Derry Travellers Support Group to replace a portacabin on the Travellers site in Ballyarnett with a permanent structure. The portacabin is currently used by Travellers' children, a young women's health group and other social activities. The new premises will be the first resource centre for Travellers in the North. The planning application which has been submitted to Derry City Council is being supported by Sinn Fein but opposed by local SDLP councillors and some residents of a nearby village.
``Some of the objections reflect genuine concerns,'' says Mary, ``but others are just a disguise for racist anti-traveller prejudice.'' Beating the drum, SDLP Councillor Shaun Gallagher accused Sinn Fein and the Travellers' support group of ``going behind people's backs'' holding ``secret meetings'' and working towards a ``hidden agenda''. Allegations all likely to fan the flames of residents' fears.
The site at Ballyarnett, established seven years ago and consisting of 20 units currently accomodates six traveller families. At best the site can be described as run down, at worst it is derelict. In stark contrast to the current state of provision at the Traveller site, since 1992 the surrounding area has experienced significant private development including a golf course. No doubt for private developers the Travellers site has become a blot on the landscape of their investment. The building of a resource centre at the site flags up a permanency which years of decline belied. Behind Shaun Gallagher's bile is not an objection to the resource centre as such but the idea that a permanent development at the site will be the forerunner of group housing provision for Travellers.
``It has now become clear that bringing the centre to Shantallow would strenghten the argument for a travellers' housing scheme for the area'', Gallagher told the Derry Journal. NIO Minister Lord Dubs recently asked the Housing Executive to develop four pilot projects to accomodate the needs of Travellers currently encamped along the Monagh bypass in West Belfast, as well as Travellers in the Greater Belfast area, at Toome and at Tattykeel in Omagh.
The pilot schemes follow years of lobbying by some Traveller families and their supporters for group housing. For some Travellers, particularly those whose livelihood is no longer primarily dependent on travelling, group housing offers a solution to appalling living conditions without breaking up the solidarity of the extended family unit. It also amelorates against the isolation and racism experienced by Travelling people forced into housing within the settled community.
``The heated and almost frantic language which has been used by the SDLP's representatives on this matter comes close to replicating the attitudes of the old Derry Corporation which vehmently resisted nationalists demanding the right to proper and adequate housing in the city,'' says Mary, ``as far as I'm concerned the only blot on the landscape is the underlying anti-Traveller sentiment which is underpinning this controversy.''
Of course the provision of group housing does not meet the needs of all Travelling people, many of whom still wish to pursue a nomadic lifestyle. The provision of serviced halting sites remains an important issue for Travellers. Sinn Fein Councillor Frank McDowell recently clashed with SDLP Assembly member Eammon O Neill over the eviction of Travelling people from a picnic area near Dundrum, County Down.
``The district council has a choice, `` says Frank, ``to deal with travellers' issues or pretend that they will go away. The Council has repeatedly chosen the latter.'' The Sinn Fein Councillor accused the council of ignoring the call for a serviced halting site in the Downpatrick area, refusing to provide even the most basic of amenities. ``A serviced halting site would improve the living conditions of all the community, settled and Travelling alike,'' says Frank, ``but our experience tells us that few members of other political parties are prepared to give the all round commitment required to properly address Travellers' issues.''
Writings by Traveller children reflecting the difficulties of life both on poorly serviced sites and housing within the settled community.
The Flood by Trevor Doherty aged 8
``On Sunday there was lots of rain in the site. The water was up to our knees. There were water rats in the site. We were out playing in the water and my socks were wet. We were playing on our bikes because there were big brown rats in the water.''
My New House by Mary Crumlish aged 8
``The big boys fire muck balls and stones at our windows. They shouted in our letterbox. They hit my brother Alex. I like my new house but I don't like some of the people.''
Tensions between settled communities and Travelling people are being ``stirred up'' by public representatives who should know better, says Sinn Fein Assembly member Mary Nelis. Mary was commenting on the current controversy surrounding an application by the Derry Travellers Support Group to replace a portacabin on the Travellers site in Ballyarnett with a permanent structure. The portacabin is currently used by Travellers' children, a young women's health group and other social activities. The new premises will be the first resource centre for Travellers in the North. The planning application which has been submitted to Derry City Council is being supported by Sinn Fein but opposed by local SDLP councillors and some residents of a nearby village.
``Some of the objections reflect genuine concerns,'' says Mary, ``but others are just a disguise for racist anti-traveller prejudice.'' Beating the drum, SDLP Councillor Shaun Gallagher accused Sinn Fein and the Travellers' support group of ``going behind people's backs'' holding ``secret meetings'' and working towards a ``hidden agenda''. Allegations all likely to fan the flames of residents' fears.
The site at Ballyarnett, established seven years ago and consisting of 20 units currently accomodates six traveller families. At best the site can be described as run down, at worst it is derelict. In stark contrast to the current state of provision at the Traveller site, since 1992 the surrounding area has experienced significant private development including a golf course. No doubt for private developers the Travellers site has become a blot on the landscape of their investment. The building of a resource centre at the site flags up a permanency which years of decline belied. Behind Shaun Gallagher's bile is not an objection to the resource centre as such but the idea that a permanent development at the site will be the forerunner of group housing provision for Travellers.
``It has now become clear that bringing the centre to Shantallow would strenghten the argument for a travellers' housing scheme for the area'', Gallagher told the Derry Journal. NIO Minister Lord Dubs recently asked the Housing Executive to develop four pilot projects to accomodate the needs of Travellers currently encamped along the Monagh bypass in West Belfast, as well as Travellers in the Greater Belfast area, at Toome and at Tattykeel in Omagh.
The pilot schemes follow years of lobbying by some Traveller families and their supporters for group housing. For some Travellers, particularly those whose livelihood is no longer primarily dependent on travelling, group housing offers a solution to appalling living conditions without breaking up the solidarity of the extended family unit. It also amelorates against the isolation and racism experienced by Travelling people forced into housing within the settled community.
``The heated and almost frantic language which has been used by the SDLP's representatives on this matter comes close to replicating the attitudes of the old Derry Corporation which vehmently resisted nationalists demanding the right to proper and adequate housing in the city,'' says Mary, ``as far as I'm concerned the only blot on the landscape is the underlying anti-Traveller sentiment which is underpinning this controversy.''
Of course the provision of group housing does not meet the needs of all Travelling people, many of whom still wish to pursue a nomadic lifestyle. The provision of serviced halting sites remains an important issue for Travellers. Sinn Fein Councillor Frank McDowell recently clashed with SDLP Assembly member Eammon O Neill over the eviction of Travelling people from a picnic area near Dundrum, County Down.
``The district council has a choice, `` says Frank, ``to deal with travellers' issues or pretend that they will go away. The Council has repeatedly chosen the latter.'' The Sinn Fein Councillor accused the council of ignoring the call for a serviced halting site in the Downpatrick area, refusing to provide even the most basic of amenities. ``A serviced halting site would improve the living conditions of all the community, settled and Travelling alike,'' says Frank, ``but our experience tells us that few members of other political parties are prepared to give the all round commitment required to properly address Travellers' issues.''
Writings by Traveller children reflecting the difficulties of life both on poorly serviced sites and housing within the settled community.
The Flood by Trevor Doherty aged 8
``On Sunday there was lots of rain in the site. The water was up to our knees. There were water rats in the site. We were out playing in the water and my socks were wet. We were playing on our bikes because there were big brown rats in the water.''
My New House by Mary Crumlish aged 8
``The big boys fire muck balls and stones at our windows. They shouted in our letterbox. They hit my brother Alex. I like my new house but I don't like some of the people.''