GARDAÍ are investigating criminal damage caused to a caravan in Skibbereen at 10pm on Monday night.

A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana confirmed that investigations are ‘ongoing’ after three windows on the caravan, which is parked on a council-owned site at Marsh Road, were smashed.

Despite the inclement weather, the owner of the caravan, Wendy Murphy, said she has no option but to continue to live there with her 11-year-old daughter because she has nowhere else to go.

On Tuesday, Wendy Murphy reported the matter to the gardaí and officers attended the scene to assess the damage and gather evidence.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old mother said she would have to use timber or plastic to keep the rain out because all of the front windows are now open to the elements.

‘I will need to do something so the rain doesn’t come in on top of us,’ said Wendy, who, in a previous interview, showed the places where the caravan leaks, and the mold spores near to where they sleep.

‘I don’t know what to do to be honest; I am stressed and depressed,’ said Wendy, who has asked for, but not been granted, emergency accommodation and is worried about the impact this incident will have on her daughter, ahead of her confirmation this week.

‘Even though we were living in a leaking, mouldy caravan that was something to look forward to and now I am dealing with broken windows,’ she said.

‘The caravan’s not liveable, but I’m still going to have to stay here,’ said Wendy, who moved the caravan on site on March 10th.

Wendy said she left a relative’s overcrowded local authority house for a variety of reasons and is desperate to put a roof over the head of her daughter who is Autistic, has ADHD, and Asthma.

The day after she moved in, a letter from Cork County Council’s housing department was pinned to the caravan door.

It warned her that she was trespassing on local authority-owned land and that failure to leave the site within seven days would result in circuit court proceedings, the cost of which would be borne by her.

‘The last thing I heard from the Council is that they are seeking legal advice,’ said Wendy, who has issued an appeal for assistance in boarding up the caravan and making it watertight.