Gardai in Galway are investigating an overnight fire which destroyed a house which had been recently purchased to accommodate a Traveller family.
The house at Carnmore, near Galway Airport, was destroyed by the fire, which was discovered shortly before 5am this morning.
There are unconfirmed reports that three large bales of silage blocked the entrance to the house, which had been unoccupied for some time.
Thankfully, nobody was injured in the incident.
Galway City Council paid €388,742 for the four-bedroom property at Kiltulla in March, with refurbishment expected to take the overall cost to around €430,000.
The move was opposed by local residents and also by some councillors who voiced concern about city authority purchasing a house in a Galway County Council area.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established and gardai are keeping an open mind on it.
They have appealed for witnesses to contact them at Mill Street Garda Station on 091-538000.
Former city mayor, Cllr Niall McNeilis, said there is concern that the fire might have been started deliberately to prevent the Traveller family moving in there.
“If this is arson then it is 100 steps backwards for society,” he said.
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