asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in respect of each local authority area: (1) the total population of traveller families; (2) the number residing in local authority dwellings; (3) the number residing in special housing; (4) the number residing in caravans on approved sites; and (5) the number residing in caravans in unapproved locations; and the present plans to provide for the needs of each of these families not yet housed.
Written Answers. - Travelling Families Statistics.
49.
The statement following provides the information requested and is based on the national count of travelling families carried out on 27 November 1984, the latest date for which comprehensive figures are available. Primary responsibility for the housing needs of traveller families rests with the local authority in whose area they reside. My Department's function is concerned with the development of policy, the monitoring of progress and ensuring that local authorities have the necessary financial support to provide the required services.
Fully subsidisable capital is available for the construction of both housing and residential caravan sites for travellers. In line with the Government's policy statement of 20 July 1984 in relation to travelling people local authorities have been requested by my Department to ensure that travellers get due priority when local authority dwellings are being allocated and to provide residential caravan sites for travellers who do not wish to live in houses. A circular letter issued by my Department on 13 September 1984 indicated that it was essential that local authorities should adopt a systematic approach to the housing needs of travellers as part of their ordinary housing operations, asked the authorities to review their letting schemes to ensure that they catered equitably for travellers, and set out a number of specific suggestions designed to ensure that the housing needs of travellers would be dealt with expeditiously and fairly.
|
Local Authority |
Number of travelling families |
Number in local authority standard housing |
Number in local authority special housing schemes |
Number in caravans on approved sites |
Number in caravans on unapproved sites |
|
Carlow |
45 |
16 |
7 |
— |
22 |
|
Cavan |
41 |
10 |
1 |
— |
30 |
|
Clare |
82 |
23 |
10 |
13 |
36 |
|
Cork (city) |
119 |
77 |
— |
22 |
20 |
|
Cork (county) |
115 |
48 |
2 |
11 |
54 |
|
Donegal |
62 |
26 |
3 |
9 |
24 |
|
Dublin city |
334 |
100 |
109 |
63 |
62 |
|
Dublin county |
374 |
78 |
12 |
— |
284 |
|
Dún Laoghaire |
28 |
4 |
— |
— |
24 |
|
Galway (city) |
109 |
78 |
— |
— |
31 |
|
Galway (county) |
243 |
109 |
16 |
— |
118 |
|
Kerry |
131 |
79 |
5 |
4 |
43 |
|
Kildare |
40 |
4 |
— |
— |
36 |
|
Kilkenny |
30 |
13 |
— |
— |
17 |
|
Laois |
33 |
3 |
2 |
— |
28 |
|
Leitrim |
25 |
13 |
— |
9 |
3 |
|
Limerick (city) |
73 |
25 |
4 |
4 |
40 |
|
Limerick (county) |
121 |
51 |
— |
19 |
51 |
|
Longford |
84 |
44 |
8 |
11 |
21 |
|
Louth |
67 |
38 |
15 |
1 |
13 |
|
Mayo |
87 |
59 |
— |
— |
28 |
|
Meath |
93 |
41 |
— |
— |
52 |
|
Monaghan |
42 |
21 |
— |
2 |
19 |
|
Offaly |
82 |
38 |
5 |
— |
39 |
|
Roscommon |
53 |
20 |
— |
23 |
10 |
|
Sligo |
29 |
12 |
— |
2 |
15 |
|
Tipperary N.R. |
77 |
30 |
— |
5 |
42 |
|
Tipperary S.R. |
53 |
15 |
— |
— |
38 |
|
Waterford (city) |
40 |
25 |
— |
2 |
13 |
|
Waterford (county) |
10 |
6 |
— |
— |
4 |
|
Westmeath |
94 |
70 |
1 |
— |
23 |
|
Wexford |
130 |
80 |
4 |
11 |
35 |
|
Wicklow |
50 |
25 |
— |
— |
25 |
|
Total |
2,996 |
1,281 |
204 |
211 |
1,300 |