A group of Travellers evicted from a halting site in Louth, have said they are finding it impossible to source emergency accommodation.

In January, 23 families, including seven children, were told to leave the illegal site they were living on at Woodland Park.

The local County Council claimed they made the decision on health and safety grounds and agreed to pay for emergency shelter, such as B&Bs.

However, the Council said it is not their responsibility to find accommodation and that it is up to families to arrange their own alternatives.

Their spokesperson, Rebecca Quinn, says people have resorted to sleeping in their cars: “Well right now they have no accommodation, they are back in the KFC carpark, there is one family in the car.

“This is the situation, this is the problem that we are facing.

“Now people who are currently in B&Bs, they are people who are outside of Dundalk and they are there just until Friday, I believe.

“It’s a week-by-week basis, there is no long term plan set out for any family.”