A WEBSITE containing racist comments about the Travelling community in Ireland and England has been slammed as "dangerous and unacceptable" and moves are to be made to get it shut down.

On the social networking site Facebook, a page entitled 'I hate Travellers, and the mess they leave behind them' has been set up. In its description it states: "This group is dedicated to highlighting the effect travellers have on my local area." It adds: "Everywhere they go they leave mess, which as a taxpayer, I have to pay for cleaning up. This site is dedicated to the facts, nothing else." On the website a photo with a road sign stating 'F*ck off gypos' illustrates the site. The webpage was set up in the UK but has Irish members.

On man has written on the website: "We are told that we have to assume political correctness and they have human rights. They have no rights in my eyes to break the law and cause damage and stress to decent law abiding people. I do not see any place for these people in society."

A woman posted a message about Travellers on the webpage, saying: "I used to be quite sympathetic towards Travellers until they started parking up at my place of work. They were going behind our offices and taking a dump! They used tee-shirts and socks instead of loo roll!"

Martin Collins of Pavee Point, a group that promotes Travellers' human rights, said he would make moves to get the webpage shut down following consultation with Travellers groups in the UK.

Pavee Point recently had two other similar sites shut down and complained to gardaí about racist comments online, sparking investigations.

"It is very serious to make such wide sweeping allegations. It is stereotyping an entire community. Stereotypes inform racism and this can lead to violence. This concerns me hugely. Stereotypes and racism have led to violence and attacks on Travellers in the past."