Vol. 376 No. 5
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the policy of Camden Council towards Irish persons/families who present themselves as homeless to the council; if this policy is in contravention of the Treaty of Rome or EC regulations; the number of Irish people who have been repatriated by Camden Council and their current circumstances; if he will make representations to Camden Council in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
57.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs arising out of his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 26 of 24 November 1987, if he has obtained a full report from the Embassy in London regarding the policy of Camden Council towards homeless Irish persons; if he will detail the action he now intends to take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I intend to take Questions Nos. 55 and 57 together.
I have now received a full report from the Embassy, London, regarding their recent discussions on this matter with Camden Council.
Camden Council deny that there is any discrimination against Irish people in their provision of emergency accommodation for the homeless, and insist that the criteria being applied to Irish people are no different from those applied to people from Great Britain. The council also claim that tickets to Ireland are provided only to those who have adequate accommodation available to them in Ireland.
While we do not yet have precise information on the numbers of Irish people involved, our understanding is that, to date, in the region of ten families have been supplied with travel vouchers for return to Ireland. The Embassy have asked Camden Council for a full list of Irish people involved and, when this list has been supplied, contact will be made with the relevant local authorities in Ireland to establish whether these people did in fact return to adequate accommodation.
The Embassy have also been in touch with the Camden Irish Centre and will maintain close contact with the Irish community in Camden on this issue.
There is not sufficient evidence to respond to the Deputy's question on whether the action of the council may be in contravention of European Community Regulations. However, the House can be assured that I will continue to monitor very carefully all aspects of the situation.
