A LIMERICK man was warned by a judge that he faces a month in prison if he fails to move his family’s caravan away from a busy road on the outskirts of the city.
Calvin Moran appeared before told Limerick District Court after breaching the terms of an enforcement notice served on him by Limerick City and County Council three years ago.
The Council argued the road attracts “high speed” and presented a risk to the safety of Mr Moran’s family and other road users.
A Council enforcement officer told the court that the joint local authority approved Mr Moran and his family last March for the Housing Assistance Payment scheme to be able to reside in a three-bedroom home.
Mr Moran told the court he tried to find a house for his family but there were none available that would accept HAP.
Mr Moran’s solicitor, Tom Kiely, said the Council’s evidence was “not disputed” and asked if the Council made any efforts to find the family temporary emergency accommodation.
The enforcement officer told the court the Council provided the family with emergency accommodation in four hotels and two holiday homes and that, on each of the six occasions, they were asked to leave after issues arose with noise levels and alleged damage to the properties.
Mr Kiely argued the noise might have been attributed to the fact that a family of six with four children were being housed in one hotel room.
The court heard Mr Moran wanted to use an air fryer in one of the rooms to feed his family and that residents complained of noise in respect of a visit by one of Mr Moran’s relatives.
Mr Moran told the court “I need more time” when asked to move the family caravan from the site in question.
Judge John King told Mr Moran’s solicitor: “I get the impression your client thinks laws are for other people.”
The notice, which dates back to August 25, 2022, requires Mr Moran to permanently keep his caravan away from a link road connecting Dock Road with the Allendale housing estate.
Mr Moran argued in court that he had moved the caravan “off the road”.
Solicitor for the Council, Will Leahy argued that the caravan was still within the “red zone” of the roadway and in breach of the local authority enforcement notice.
Mr Moran argued that he, his partner, and their four young children, one of whom has significant health issues, the court heard, had nowhere else to go.
“We’re on the side of the road with no toilets and no showers, what more can we do?” Mr Moran asked.
“I’ve four young kids, where do you want me to go, where can we go, there’s no place else for us to go,” he said.
Evidence was heard that the Council hand-served Mr Moran with the enforcement notice on August 31, 2022, and the caravan was initially removed off the site.
The Council’s enforcement officer told the court the caravan returned and court summonses were served in January 2025.
The caravan, however, remained at the site and was joined by a second caravan last August.
The enforcement officer said Mr Moran, who it was heard is unemployed and in receipt of social welfare, had since removed the second caravan “but still lives in the caravan on the site”.
Judge King convicted Mr Moran of failing to abide by the enforcement notice, imposing a one month jail sentence which he suspended in full for two years on Mr Moran’s own bond of €500, which did not have to be lodged, on condition the caravan is removed from the site by Friday October 10th and not returned thereafter.
The judge ordered €500 of the Council’s €1,618 euro costs against Mr Moran and gave him six months to pay.
Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme.
