Tensions have been growing since the original problem arose two years ago.
Residents of a housing estate in Cork are currently engaged in a stand-off over an issue involving the estate’s green area and a mobile home.
Locals from the Beechfield Estate in Fermoy are attempting to reclaim the communal area on which a mobile home was delivered via a truck on Thursday, as they believe the home should be for the use of estate residents only.
It’s understood that the vehicle is owned by members of the travelling community.
A small caravan has also been residing in the same area for the last two years. Legal proceedings began some months ago to get the caravan removed. The bigger mobile home was then introduced to the housing estate earlier this week, causing tensions to grow amongst residents.
Beechfield homeowners have since blocked the truck that originally brought the mobile home in, preventing it from leaving. It’s believed that they want the truck to leave with the mobile home on the back of it.
However, as the communal green area on which the mobile home is situated belongs to Cork County Council, Gardaí cannot force anyone to move before Cork County Council issues a court order allowing Gardaí to do so.
Residents say they will continue their stand off until the mobile home leaves the estate on this truck.
Speaking to Patricia Messinger on C103’s Cork Today Show, local councillor Noel Mc Carthy called out Cork County Council for not intervening thus far.
“Cork County Council need to get a court order to get both caravans removed now. It’s going on for two years,” McCarthy said.
“The residents feel let down by the current situation.”
He also criticised the owners of the two caravans for not proceeding with correct housing procedures.
“They need to go into the the system like everyone else. There’s over 400 people on the housing list in Fermoy and if they feel like they’ve been saying to me ‘well if people put in a caravan and get a house, it’s unfair’.
“These people in the caravan need to go on the system and do the right thing.”
Residents have also claimed that, due to the noise of the caravans and the proximity to their homes, they haven’t been getting any sleep.
Beechfield estate resident Annette Cahill, who lives behind the original caravan, also condemned Gardaí for “doing absolutely nothing” to help them.
“There’s one Garda here. We’ve had Garda presence here all night, as if we were criminals.”
Cahill went on to claim that the caravan residents have called upon their friends to join them in protest against residents and have since threatened those around them.
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