WITH the funerals of the 10 victims of the Carrickmines fire disaster expected to take place early this week, a row over providing alternative accommodation for the survivors has divided the community.
Five children and five adults, all from the same extended family, perished in the blaze at the halting site on the Glenamuck Road in the early hours of last Saturday morning week (October 10).
Last week, locals on Rockville Road mounted a blockade at a proposed temporary site offered to the survivors of the Carrickmines blaze at the end of their estate.
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council wants to prepare the one-acre field in the cul-de-sac to accommodate four mobiles homes for the bereaved families.
However, locals expressed concern at the plan, pointing out that the original halting site built eight years ago was also designated a temporary site.
They said that while they sympathised with the victims, they felt they had been subjected to unfair criticism for their actions.
Late last week council officials were meeting residents to discuss their objections to temporarily providing the Traveller families with the plot of ground.
However, at time of going to press, a settlement had not been reached.
Local councillor Lettie McCarthy (Lab) called for calm as the controversy dragged on.
“There are a lot of comments going around that are neither fair nor true on both sides,” she said. “So I would appeal to people of the wider area to show a bit of common sense and calm.”
However, Sinn Féin councillor for the Glencullen Sandyford ward, Chris Curran, praised the management of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for the manner in which emergency Traveller accommodation had been provided for the families of the Carrickmines disaster.
“The manager has used emergency powers, as provided under the Housing Act, to avail of funding to fast-track suitable accommodation to meet the immediate needs of the family,” he said.
“The needs of the family are the priority and people need to bear that in mind.
“It’s expected that the site will only be used for a short period while the council fast-tracks a different site that will meet the long-term needs of the family.”
He added: “Situations like this are difficult for all of us but we must be mindful that the family have suffered a horrendous loss and their needs outweigh others at this sad time.”
The Taoiseach, who said his visit to the scene over the weekend of the fire was deeply affecting, waded into the debate, as he called for consultations with local communities.
“To stand there in the site and see what is in front of you speaks for itself; it will never leave my mind, actually,” Mr Kenny said.
“So the council reacting here, saying where can we house these remaining families in a temporary capacity, it is necessary to consult, of course, with the local communities and I can understand the balance that needs to be got here.”
Mr Kenny said that flags will fly at half-mast on the days of the funerals of the victims.
Meanwhile, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has opened a bank account for donations for the families affected by the fire.
The account is now open at AIB 10 Main Street, Dundrum, Co Dublin. The account details are – Account number: 16005289 NSC: 93-31-20 BIC: AIBKIE2D IBAN: IE38AIBK93312016005289
Donations to the ‘Carrickmines Tragedy’ can be sent to Finance Dept, SVP East Region, 91-92 Sean McDermott Street, Dublin 1.
“There’s going to be 10 funerals,” added Cllr Curran.
“That’s going to be very expensive. The State can only, will only, help to a certain extent, but I know that the public want to help out here too.”