Hi °C | Lo °C GARDAI suspect arsonists were behind a fire at a house bought for a Traveller family which was gutted today.
The €230,000 luxury home was the subject of a ‘racism’ storm after a local councillor objected to the family of 13 getting the new five-bedroom home.
Fire crews were called to the house in the Parkhill area of Ballyshannon at 3am.
The house was completely gutted.
Garda forensic officers were today examining the scene of the incident.
No-one was injured and no-one was in the house at the time.
Last month, there was controversy Fianna Fail Cllr Sean McEniff was accused of bigotry when he insisted that Travellers "should live in isolation".
"Parkhill is a very settled community. I would not like these people (the family) living beside me," he said.
The row over the house has led Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn to accuse McEniff of blatant bigotry and racism.
The Donegal Travellers Project had also reported Cllr McEniff’s comments to Gardai.
