asked the Minister for Local Government if he has any plans for the provision of a serviced site for itinerant citizens in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area of County Dublin; if so, what is the location of this site; and if he will make a policy statement on itinerancy generally and the problems relating thereto.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dún Laoghaire Site for Itinerants.
33.
The provision of a serviced camping site for itinerant citizens in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area is a matter for Dún Laoghaire Corporation and Dublin County Council; no proposals have been submitted to me by either of these bodies, but I understand that Dublin County Council is endeavouring to find suitable sites in the area for development for this purpose.
As Deputies are aware, Government policy aims at the integration of itinerants into the community and, as a first step in this direction, local authorities have been requested to provide serviced camping sites. I have been pressing the local authorities to establish such sites, which qualify for a generous subsidy from my Department. These sites are intended not alone to be a settled abode for itinerant families but also to provide the essential base from which voluntary helpers and official agencies can co-operate to set in motion a comprehensive programme of rehabilitation, with special emphasis on education and employment. I would again take this opportunity of impressing on local authorities the importance of giving a reasonable chance to the itinerants to become fully integrated into the settled community.
In regard to the part of the question put down by Deputy Andrews which reads, "if he will make a policy statement on itinerancy generally and the problems relating thereto," might I inquire if the Minister will ask the Dublin authority to insist that itinerant children at present located on St. Stephen's Green for the purpose of begging are brought firmly within the ambit of the social services so as to ensure that the essential minimum standard of living is provided for them and their parents, so as to avoid even the appearance of the need to appear as beggars in the streets when, in fact, so far as I am aware, the social services would provide them with a tolerable standard of living if they chose to avail of them instead of presenting themselves as destitute in the public streets?
They are in fact within the ambit of the social services. I think Deputy Dillon asked me to ensure that they are brought within the ambit of the social services.
No. I suggested that the local authority should take steps to notify them effectively that it is not necessary to present themselves as destitute persons on the streets, when in fact by applying for the appropriate social services the necessity for such mendicancy does not exist in our society.
With our social services?
I think they are generally aware of that fact.
Are the local authority not bound to give them a minimum standard of living?
With our social services, they could still be destitute.
That is not the position as I understand it.
The Deputy should try to live on them.
I understand that the local authority must give them a minimum standard of living.