Sinn Fein councillor William Carey has called upon SDCC to appoint a team of dedicated personnel to work with Travellers in relation to dealing with problems arising from the spread of the coronavirus (COVID 19).
Cllr Carey was speaking following a meeting with members of traveller representative groups who had voiced their concerns that travellers needs might be lost in the clamour for services due to restrictions being imposed on society as a whole.
Cllr Carey stated that travellers represented a particularly vulnerable group of people within our society and pointed out that travellers already suffer from a lower life expectancy rate than the rest of society and in particular, suffer from respiratory illness to a greater degree.
llr Carey added that the living conditions for travellers living on halting sites meant it is virtually impossible to engage in self-isolation when required. This in turn magnifies the danger faced by elderly travellers from the COVID 19 virus.
Cllr Carey welcomed the response from Colm Ward on behalf of SDCC that their dedicated Traveller Accommodation team is liaising with statutory bodies but suggested that a more intense approach is required during the period of this pandemic.
