Written Answers. - Task Force on the Travelling Community.
Chris Flood
Question:
33
Mr. Flood
asked the
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
when he will receive the final report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community in view of the fact that the interim report was published in January 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7155/95]
Liz O'Donnell
Question:
36
Ms O'Donnell
asked the
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
the steps, if any, he plans to take to implement the recommendations of the interim report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community; the status of his promise for a national plan for the housing of the travelling community; whether it will seek to achieve a more equal distribution of halting sites for the travelling community among the local authorities around the country to alleviate the present imbalance in distribution in the south county Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7523/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 36 together.
I am keeping progress in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Interim Progress Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community under review. When I received the report on 14 January, 1994, I examined it to see to what extent its recommendations could be implemented immediately pending receipt of the Final Report of the Task Force.
In that connection I consulted with the Minister for Education and also with the former Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, with responsibility for housing, to identify the recommendations on which progress could be made.
On 18 March 1994 the former Minister of State at the Department of the Environment announced that the special grant for travellers purchasing their first house for their own occupation had been increased from £1,500 to £3,000. The review and update of this grant was referred to in recommendation 2.7 of the Interim Progress Report.
In addition, with effect from this year, funding for new group housing schemes for travellers will be provided by the Department of the Environment separately from the general local authority housing allocation. This initiative is in response to recommendation 2.3.1 of the Interim Report.
I understand from the Minister for Education that provision for children with special needs is being considered in the context of the Report of the Special Education Review Committee, published in 1993, and, in the specific case of traveller children, the Interim Progress Report of the Task Force.
With regard to the specific recommendations concerning education provision for travellers, contained in the Interim Report, I understand that the following developments have taken place:
(i) In April 1994 the Minister for Education published guidelines entitled "The Education of Traveller Children in National Schools — Guidelines". The publication of these Guidelines was sought in recommendation 3.5 of the Interim Report.
(ii) In the case of recommendation 3.8, which referred to the level of capitation grant paid in respect of travellers, the capitation grant for traveller children attending national schools was increased from £76.20 in 1993 to £130 for those children under 12 years and to £316 for children over 12 years of age, in 1994. These figures will be increased again by approximately 5 per cent with effect from September 1995.
(iii) Recommendation 3.9 referred to the development of a comprehensive school record system in recognition of the nomadic lifestyle of travellers. A school record system is now being operated on a pilot basis by the visiting teacher service.
Furthermore, the Minister for Education has announced with effect from September 1995 the appointment of five additional visiting teachers at primary level and ten additional visiting teachers at post primary level and a reduction of one unit at primary level in the pupil teacher ratio for special schools and classes. The pupil teacher ratio for traveller children is reduced from 15:1 to 14:1.
The recommendations contained in the Interim Report concerning Equal Status in non-employment areas will be taken into account in the preparation of Equal Status Legislation, being promoted by my Department.
The Government remains committed to the target of providing permanent, serviced caravan site accommodation for all traveller families who require such homes by the year 2000.
The Task Force on the Travelling Community is expected to finish its work within a matter of months. I look forward to receiving its Final Report, and, at that stage, to considering, in consultation with ministerial colleagues, what further action needs to be undertaken in the light of the proposals and recommendations put forward by the Task Force.
