Upset and outraged residents in the Cluain Árd estate in Ballybrit have demanded a public apology from a Galway West TD for a statement which they believe has branded them all as “neighbours from hell”.
The statement follows a recent arson attack which resulted in a family fleeing from their home and a woman being forced to jump to safety from a top floor window. Fianna Fáil deputy Frank Fahey has since spoken out against the Private Residential Tenancies Board for failing to do enough to deal with “neighbours from hell” in Cluain Árd. However, these comments have now attracted the ire of many residents in the area who feel that they have been branded and given a bad name.
“We are really offended by the statement which said that ‘over the past seven months, residents in Cluain Árd have been forced to deal with four families from other areas of the country that have terrorised them with anti-social behaviour’. He also said there was a growing problem with neighbours from hell. Who are these families he is talking about? Are we the neighbours from hell? I’m not from this county so I feel he could be talking about me. I feel very upset about this,” said Cluain Ard resident Thomas McDonagh.
“There are very good neighbours here who feel upset by those comments. I feel sick by what has been said. Is he trying to give us all a bad name. It’s not anyone in this estate who would do that, everyone gets on well in this estate. People here are very upset and offended. We’re very upset too at what has happened to those people. We’d like an apology from Frank Fahey,” said Mr McDonagh.
