Vol. 477 No. 6
58 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the current status of the inter-departmental group working on the report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9035/97]
Following the publication of the task force's report in 1995, I established an interdepartmental group to examine the recommendations and report back within a fixed period. The group's report was accepted by Government on 26 March 1996 and a comprehensive package of actions and services relating to the travelling community was announced. The interdepartmental group has not met since then and it is not intended that it should meet further having regard to the fact that the various functions are the responsibility of individual Departments though, of course, I maintain an interest in the implementation process. I regret that, when answering questions in the House on 11 March, I inadvertently stated incorrectly that the group still exists.
