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Violent feuds are the main reason why hundreds of Traveller accommodation sites around the country are lying idle, it was revealed yesterday.

Over 350 such sites are empty at a time when Traveller groups are complaining there is a housing shortage.

It is also feared that the halting sites and housing schemes provided for Travellers by local authorities are actually causing feuds.

A new report found that one of the main reasons for so many sites lying idle is that families are afraid to move in because of the threat of violence and intimidation.

The disclosure comes just a week after Olympic boxer John Joe Nevin had both his legs broken during a row within his own family.

Around one-fifth of 1,860 sites provided for travellers by the state are presently unoccupied, the data shows.

This includes 187 permanent halting sites, 78 group housing schemes, 80 basic service sites for caravans and 40 transient sites.

Both the local authorities which provide the accommodation and the Travellers state that feuding is the main reason why these units are not being used.

The report, obtained by the Sunday Business Post under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that Travellers blamed “tensions, conflict, intimidation and feuding” between some families who are often put together against their will.

But those who spoke out also say that some of the trouble is caused by “bullying behaviour” by some families.

The report also calls for and end to the practice of erecting high walls around Traveller accommodation which some residents claim made them feel like they were “living in a prison”.

One Traveller said: “I felt like living in a prison, is it any wonder I couldn’t not wait to get away from there, who in their right mind would want to live behind walls that high?”

In some counties the situation is worse than others with Longford having 88% of Traveller accommodation unfilled.

In neighbouring Monaghan 58% of sites provided are idle while in Donegal 48% of the accommodation is empty.

Some Travellers have complained that the accommodation provided for them by the State is not suitable and may be acerbating the feuds.

They claim that there is a lack of space if individuals and families want to become self employed and also some also point to the lack of facilities for keeping horses.

The report was presented the Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan last week after being commissioned by the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee.

Around 50% of local authorities cited ongoing tensions between Traveller families as the reason for the accommodation being empty.

The councils also said that some sites were closed because they were “extensively damaged following a feud”.

But the report also said that in future councils should make sure that only compatible families are housed on particular sites.

pat.flanagan@irishmirror.ie