asked the Minister for Justice if he intends to introduce legislation to deal with tinkers and their encampments in the vicinity of the City of Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tinkers' Encampments.
For some time, my Department and the other Departments concerned have been studying the matter but no practicable solution of the problems has, so far been arrived at. I see no prospect, there-fore, of being in a position to introduce legislation in the near future.
Can the Minister state if the Gardaí have any authority at present to shift these camps or to ask the people to move?
They have the authority that they possess in respect of trespassing and matters of that kind and the authority in respect to roving animals, but the penalties in respect to these things are very slight and, as I said in the course of my reply, there is practically no solution to be found at the present time. The matter is still being examined with a view to finding some solution. As I said in the course of the Estimate debate, the problem is not peculiar to this country; it exists everywhere.
Is the Minister aware that these itinerant camps are placed around the fringe of the City of Dublin, in all developed sites of the Dublin Corporation, and that the machinery available to the Dublin Corporation to remove these itinerants or tinkers is so cumbersome and slow that it is not worth while for the local authority to take any action? Is he aware that some of these itinerants are now travelling around in motor cars?
Is there any reason why these people should not be around Dublin the same as any other area?
Some areas have an abundance of them.
Does the Minister not think it possible to take some steps to deal with an attendant evil, that is, the difficulties caused by loose animals wandering on the public highways? In the case of trespass on public open spaces, we realise the Minister's difficulties, but one cause of quite a lot of trouble to our residents is loose horses, in particular, roaming at will on the public highways. Is the Minister taking any steps to deal with that problem?
As I mentioned in reply to Deputy O'Higgins, we have authority to deal with that, but the penalties are so slight that they are not a deterrent.
If the Minister gave directions to have these horse removed to the local pound, it would put an end to the abuse very quickly.
There are no pounds left in this country.