I have been following closely recent stories regarding the travellers who occupy sites at Dale Farm in Essex. One of our bishops supports them as they claim that if moved of this - illegally occupied - site they would be homeless. Let us look at the actual situation as widely reported in the media.
Their occupation of most of the site is & always has been illegal. A small number of sites were initially allowed but (almost secretly) large numbers of others moved onto the site over a bank holiday weekend suspecting (rightly) that the authorities would not be there. Following the decision of the planning authorities to uphold the law of the land & protect the longstanding local (legal) residents of the area the travellers offered to move for £3m.
Looking at their "homelessness" we are told that a number of them own expensive properties in Rathkeale i Ireland. One traveller owns Bally-William Close a development of some 30 houses while another is developing 44 houses near Rathkeale called Castle Park Estate. A large number of other travellers own properties in that area which for 11 months of the year are locked up with steel grilles being opened up only over the Christmas period when the owners return home. These same people are registered in that area of Ireland for voting in local, national and European elections.
Please let's not be sympathetic to a bunch of lawbreakers intent only on circumventing the law of the land in England without contributing anything to our country.
Their occupation of most of the site is & always has been illegal. A small number of sites were initially allowed but (almost secretly) large numbers of others moved onto the site over a bank holiday weekend suspecting (rightly) that the authorities would not be there. Following the decision of the planning authorities to uphold the law of the land & protect the longstanding local (legal) residents of the area the travellers offered to move for £3m.
Looking at their "homelessness" we are told that a number of them own expensive properties in Rathkeale i Ireland. One traveller owns Bally-William Close a development of some 30 houses while another is developing 44 houses near Rathkeale called Castle Park Estate. A large number of other travellers own properties in that area which for 11 months of the year are locked up with steel grilles being opened up only over the Christmas period when the owners return home. These same people are registered in that area of Ireland for voting in local, national and European elections.
Please let's not be sympathetic to a bunch of lawbreakers intent only on circumventing the law of the land in England without contributing anything to our country.
I am sorry sir, but you have been misinformed. Whilst the Travellers of Dale Farm are related to the Rathkeale family, they have lived in this country for a very long time and many have lived here all their lives. I know this as I have worked with the Travellers' Chaplaincy for 17 years and know these families well.
ReplyDeleteAs for being lawbreakers, this family never used to stop on, or seek to stop on, a permanent site until the law was changed which took away the temporary sites they used to use.
As a Catholic man, I would urge you to not so quickly believe the reports you hear/read.
I am saddened by the fact that you feel the need to classify yourself as 'Catholic Left Winger' & by the fact that you email me without the courtesy (or courage?) to include a return email address. You are a little like those who sign themselves 'Anonymous' To return to the question (some months old now - where have you been?) of the ILLEGAL travellers. Of course they are breaking the law if they are refused planning permission or permission to lay roads et al on the site. Are you really honestly suggesting that the TV images of their vile behaviour was a set up? Get real! Those 'travellers' are not Irish tinkers, rather they are scum who refuse to pay taxes, refuse to obey the law of the land & generally give a very bad name by their lawlessness to honest Travelling Folk. I will sign my name as David O'Neill (get the Irish connection?) and simply say I am 'A Catholic'
ReplyDeleteIn reply to your above statement. As it happens, the McCarthy, Sheridan and O'Rourke family are not scum, pay their taxes and would find your description of them and any Irish Traveller as a 'tinker' offensive in the extreme. If you had read what I wrote rather than just fell back on your prejudice, you would have perhaps written differently.
Being Irish doesn't help..my sisters (Irish-born girls all) slip into the same prejudice as you do but would never use the word 'scum' about any person.
I did not omit my name due to any intended lack of courtesy, certainly not of cowardice, just because I used my Google account. I found the Traveller comment whilst reading your more recent one.
The job I do working in High Security prison means I must be careful of whom I share my identity with. So horrified am I by the violence of your language, I choose not to share it with you.