Vol. 489 No. 3
202 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to bring in legislation which will give county councils and corporations increased power to control the establishment of illegal traveller halting sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8194/98]
I have today published a Bill entitled the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Bill, 1998. The Bill is designed to put in place a legislative framework to facilitate implementation of the Government's commitments in relation to meeting the accommodation needs of travellers, as set out in An Action Programme for the Millennium and in Partnership 2000. The principal objective of the Bill is to accelerate the rate at which accommodation is provided by housing authorities for travellers as the lack of such accommodation is the main cause of unauthorised encampments.
Provision have been made in the Bill for some improvement to the powers available to local authorities to control unauthorised encampments where alternative serviced accommodation is available, or to prohibit temporary dwellings within one mile of existing traveller accommodation.
