Waive caravan park fees for holidaymakers unable to use them - Derry MLA Martina Anderson

Martina Anderson was commenting after the issue was raised with her by several caravan owners.

In some cases caravan park fees in Ireland can be thousands of pounds or euros per year.

Ms Anderson said: “It was the right decision to close caravan parks, given the obvious dangers of people staying together in such close proximity during this pandemic.

“It is however unfair to expect all caravan owners, many of whom have seen their incomes affected, to continue to pay a pitch fee while they have no access to their caravan.

“Park owners need to take into account the circumstances that many caravan owners are facing during these difficult times.

“They should therefore consider reducing or waiving annual and partial fees given that owners are unlikely to be able to access their caravans during the summer months at least.”

Ms Anderson added: “Rather that Park owners collaborating to force caravan owner to pay their site fees regardless of the impact of this deadly pandemic, they should be uniting in their call on the Irish Government to put financial support in place to ensure that neither caravan owners or park owners are penalised as a result of this pandemic.”