Barriers at Limerick halting sites 'could restrict' emergency services 

LIMERICK City and County Council say there is no issue regarding the emergency services gaining access to Traveller accommodation, which have barriers in place, as they will have cutting equipment to break the locks.

However, a resident at a halting site in Castletroy claims that no one in the site has a key, and worries that if a disaster was to strike there would be a delay in emergency services accessing the site.

“The barrier came down and then was put up again in the last few years. We don’t have any key. If there was a fire they’d be stuck outside until they cut it open. What good is that,” they said.

“They can say what they want, but it is us who lives here,” they added

A spokesperson for the council said; “All our traveller accommodation sites are accessible to the emergency services. There is no issue regarding the emergency services gaining access to Traveller Accommodation, which have barriers in place. 

“The emergency service have cutting equipment to break the locks. Also, sites which have barriers tend to have a tenant on-site who has access to the key to the barrier, other sites leave the barrier open permanently and two sites have no barriers.”

Martin Collins, Co-Director for Pavee Point condemned the barriers.

“Pavee Point's position on this is very consistent and clear. Height restrictions and barriers to Traveller sites should not exist full stop. There should be full access to all Traveller sites. This is the only way we can minimise tragedies from occurring.

“We don't accept the notion that a range of people have keys to the barrier, whether that's individuals on the site, or the emergency services. My sense is, it is primarily the emergency services who have keys and not the individuals on the site. Of course we do know, human nature being what it is, if a tragedy was to occur, keys can either be forgotten or lost. I've lost the keys to my own car several times.”