Hundreds of people gathered for a peaceful protest outside Tipperary County Council in support of local man Sean Meehan who is facing jail after the council instructed him to remove a mobile home off his own land.
As Gript previously reported, Meehan (65), put the caravan – which is encased in a wooden structure and has the appearance of a cabin – on a piece of land he bought after separating from his wife some years ago.
Speaking to Gript, Meehan said he was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support he experienced today.
The crowd marched through the streets of Clonmel led by motorcyclists chanting, “Save Sean’s Cabin” before arriving outside the County Council offices.
Although Meehan says he is determined to fight his case he told Gript he has “a bag ready” ahead of his next court appearance.
The 65-year-old said that people had come to the protest from places like Cork, Roscommon, and that one woman had come from the UK.
Meehan – who did not have planning permission before moving the mobile home onto the land – told Gript that the council informed him that the mobile home would devalue the other properties in the area and that the structure was not inline with other buildings in the area.
Meehan was instructed to remove the home off the land by the 14th of March or face jail at the next court hearing of the case on the 4th of April next.
Speaking to Gript yesterday, Meehan said that a judge told him if he did not remove the mobile home off the land – which was previously a derelict site – he would be put in Limerick prison for a period of four months.
Sean Meehan (65) says a judge told him to 'pack a bag' for 4 months in Limerick Prison after Tipperary County Council ordered him to remove his mobile home from his own land.https://t.co/0IUJvHB7u4 pic.twitter.com/5ciHGtiMvS
— gript (@griptmedia) March 15, 2024
TD Mattie McGrath who was in attendance at the protest with his daughter Cllr. Máirín McGrath brought Sean’s plight to the attention of the Dáil last week by calling on the Taoiseach to put in place a moratorium on behalf of what he said was a large number of people in a similar situation which he said was made worse by the country’s ongoing housing crisis.
Speaking to Gript last week McGrath said that the government ‘doesn’t want’ to solve the housing crisis or help people like Meehan who find themselves in a position where they have to live in mobile homes.
TD Mattie McGrath calls on government to intervene as Tipperary man is facing jail after erecting a log cabin on his own land while planning permission is not required for refugee accommodation. pic.twitter.com/SXh3DzJkJy
— gript (@griptmedia) March 6, 2024