Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 9 Jul 1992

Vol. 422 No. 5

Adjournment Debate. - Environment and Health Matters.

Mr. Deasy

I refer to the considerable nuisance caused to urban communities all over the country by travellers who are also traders. They are not by any means poor people but people of considerable wealth. They cannot be compared with itinerants, but travel in huge numbers and cause immense difficulties for people living in housing estates in urban areas and also for the general public. At times the number of caravans involved can be as high as 100. Recently in Portlaoise the number was 200. A month ago they came to Dungarvan in County Waterford and took over all the spaces adjacent to the community centre. There were about 100 caravans in all causing considerable difficulty to the local authority and the adjoining housing estates.

I am asking the Minister to bring in legislation to stop this type of activity. These people are traders. They sell furniture, consumer goods, agricultural implements and gates. They also buy antiques. They stay for quite a time and the local authorities do not have the resources to remove them. The bylaws are insufficient to have them removed. The Garda authorities appear to be powerless because of the numbers involved. Provision should be made in the Roads Bill, 1991 on Committee Stage to ensure that these people cannot congregate or travel in large numbers. I suggest that they should not be allowed congregate in numbers greater than five at any one location at any given time and that such congregations be limited to a radius of one mile.

The Minister of State is probably aware of the nuisance these people create which is unacceptable, unsociable and I ask him to ensure that their activities are curtailed.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. D. Wallace)

I thank Deputy Deasy for raising this matter and allowing me an opportunity to respond.

Section 31 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, empowers a local authority to prohibit, by order, the parking of caravans and temporary dwellings in a specified area. Maximum fines for illegal parking are £1,000 and £200 a day for continuing offences. In addition, the road traffic Acts provide a comprehensive range of parking controls on vehicles generally, including power to remove vehicles left on a public road in such a manner as to cause danger to, or obstruct, traffic.

The Casual Trading Act, 1980, of course, is also relevant in so far as the travellers to which the Deputy refers may be engaged in trading activities. This legislation, for which the Minister for Industry and Commerce is responsible, provides for a licensing and permit system for casual trading and empowers local authorities to restrict casual trading to designated areas.

My Department are also promoting a number of legislative proposals which have a bearing on the issue raised by the Deputy. The Roads Bill, 1991, which is currently awaiting Committee Stage in the House, will prohibit temporary dwellings on national roads, motorways, bus-ways and protected roads and will make it an offence to erect or retain on a public road any caravan, vehicle or other thing for the purposes of advertising, the sale of goods or the provision of services, without the consent of the local authority.

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1992, Second Stage of which was completed in the Seanad today, will empower a housing authority to remove a caravan or other temporary dwelling which is parked in a public place within five miles of an official halting site on which there is suitable space. As more sites are provided, this provision should have wider application.

I am satisfied that these new provisions will enable more effective action to be taken, particularly in regard to parking along national roads. Active enforcement of these and existing legislative provisions, including those relating to motor taxation and insurance, will do much to ameliorate this difficult problem. However, the real solution is for local authorities to provide adequate halting sites and other accommodation so that the enforcement powers can more readily be used in relation to illegal parking.

I make a strong appeal in the House this evening, as I did in the Seanad today, to local authorities who have not faced up to their responsibilities to do so so that we can tackle this problem in a humane and responsible manner.

Mr. Allen

The housing crisis has been raised frequently in this House in recent weeks. For example, we have had the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1992, but there is an obligation on all of us to continue to bring to the Minister's attention the appalling crisis, with almost 30,000 applicants on our waiting lists nationwide, that is 30,000 families, living in bad conditions. They have been let down badly by local authorities who are not providing houses for their needs.

In my city alone there are 2,000 applicants on our housing lists, the worst figures since I became a member of a local authority in the seventies. Only this week in Cork a family was evicted from their home by a building society. That husband, wife and three children are now living in a car on the side of the road and the wife is expecting a baby in two months time. Even though they are now homeless they have not been offered any house. This means they are at the mercy of the health board to provide them with the necessary finance for short-term board and lodgings. The reality is that the local authority have neither the resources nor houses to meet present needs.

Repossessions are an ever-growing problem, of which the Department of the Environment are washing their hands. I asked the Department to carry out a national survey on repossessions and evictions nationwide. They continue to say it is not a matter for them but rather one for the relevant local authorities. There is a responsibility on us all to quantify the scale of that serious and growing problem. The example I have given is just one of many in recent times.

The "cop-out"— I call it that advisedly — being publicised by the Department and relevant Ministers is that the time is past for building large housing estates. That is an excuse for doing very little. There is a case for housing estates being built in our cities with the necessary back-up services.

Mr. D. Wallace

I am glad to respond to the matter raised by Deputy Allen. Indeed, his contribution this evening was an example of how little attention he has paid to this problem.

The most recent statutory assessment of housing needs, under section 9 of the Housing Act, 1988, was carried out on 31 March 1991. I readily acknowledge that the number of applicants seeking local authority houses in Cork and other areas since then has increased. However, to keep matters in perspective it should be remembered that, in the early eighties, there were up to 300,000 on the waiting lists nationwide. Deputy Allen gave that figure off the top of his head this evening without the necessary statistical back-up. Furthermore, assessments now carried out under section 9 of the 1988 Act are much more thorough than any similar exercises previously undertaken and require local authorities to include categories of need not previously included, for example, homeless persons, travellers and single persons who are not elderly.

I must stress that, since the publication of the social housing plan, the response to social housing needs cannot be viewed solely in terms of local authority house-building. Account must be taken of progess made under a wide range of other measures, such as shared ownership, mortgage allowance, rental subsidy, improvement works and so on.

I am already on record as saying that if local authorities make full use of the measures and resources at their disposal nationally they could cater for in excess of 6,000 households in 1992, representing a substantial increase on 1991.

In regard to Cork Corporation I expect the housing needs of more than 400 people will be catered for in 1992. Since assuming office I have given the go-ahead for a major rehabilitation of two blocks of flats at Mayfield and Bakers Road, bringing more than 50 flats back into occupation. Deputy Allen should look also at the other action being taken to meet the housing needs of Cork. These include a whole range of measures, including 60 local authority housing completions; 40 houses in Douglas being provided by Respond under the provisions of the rental subsidy scheme; 54 applications for shared ownership which were approved up to the end of March 1992 and in excess of 120 units to be provided by way of voluntary housing projects this year.

We must all be responsible in our approach to community needs. Deputy Allen referred to the building of large housing estates. These are no longer feasible. We must think in modern terms of the people seeking housing and in that way tackling the problem. Deputy Allen, in what he said this evening, has shown that he is totally insincere and has not even studied the position with regard to people's needs.

Mr. Nealon

The very good weather we have experienced in recent weeks raises spirits all round especially amongst members of the farming community. Sadly, in west Sligo, we must always have reservations at such times because of an abominable water supply.

In about half of the Tireragh area, from the outskirts of Ballisodare to the outskirts of Ballina, there is no piped water. More than 500 homes, mostly of farming families, are involved. The most exasperating factor of all is that, running right through the middle of that whole area — from Corownagh Church to Corballa Church — is a pipeline capable of supplying half a million gallons of water per day, located there with a great deal of Government money. What the area has not got, and what the Government refuse to give, is funding for a group water scheme to deliver water to taps; it is that ridiculous. It is rather like the building of a major new roadway with no exits for cars.

The group water schemes at Castleconnor, Culleens, Kilglass and Skreen/ Dromard are all ready to go, local money has been collected and all preparations have been completed. The Minister for the Environment knows about the awful conditions now obtaining and of the special problem vis-à-vis funding for the Castleconnor group water scheme. He has met these people concerned face to face, but has done nothing since his meeting except to issue soothing words. As Members know, soothing words will not put water in the taps or ensure a decent pot of tea on the table. What is needed is action, immediate action. This part of Tireragh has some of the best land in County Sligo, but farming development is thwarted by the lack of piped water. For instance, what is going to happen when the new milk hygiene regulations become operative? How can the dairy farmers there, without a good piped water supply, meet the strict criteria? This is also a very beautiful part of the country, bounded on one side by the Ox Mountains and on the other by the sea; but, again, tourist development is curtailed by the lack of a good water supply. These are all major additional arguments why the group schemes should be funded and funded immediately, but, even if these arguments never existed, how can we justify the failure to provide the basic necessity of good, clean water to a large slice of a county as we reach the dying years of the 20th century?

The Minister for the Environment has been there; he has seen and heard all the facts for himself. He knows there is no exaggeration in what I have said. The pipeline with the source supply is in place. The people are extremely angry, understandably so. We are now on the second last day of this Dáil session, maybe the second last day of the 26th Dáil. I hope that the Minister of State will avail of this opportunity to announce that he is finally providing the funds to turn on the taps in Tireragh.

Mr. Rabbitte

Stick on the kettle.

Mr. D. Wallace

With the agreement of the House, I propose to share my time with Deputy M. Brennan.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mr. M. Brennan

I would like to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace, for allowing me to share his time. Deputy Nealon forgot to mention that in 1982 the then Fianna Fáil Government approved phase one of the scheme and it was completed. In 1987 the then Government and Minister for the Environment, Deputy Flynn, approved phase two of the scheme, and that has also been completed. Deputy Nealon is correct when he says that the water is in the pipes and that we are now awaiting finance for the group water scheme. I am confident that we will receive this finance, but I do not know if the Minister has good news for us this evening. We mentioned this at our parliamentary party meeting yesterday, but I will not disclose private minutes from that meeting. If we could obtain £40 million we would be able to finance the application for group water schemes pending. At present in County Sligo we need £2 million to complete group water schemes in Castleconnor, Skreen/ Dromard and other areas. Unfortunately, there are a number of group water schemes in every county and I sincerely hope that we will receive the necessary finance in the very near future to complete the Castleconnor and Skreen/ Dromard group water schemes.

Mr. D. Wallace

I would like to thank Deputy Nealon for putting down the question. The Deputy can rest assured that he has nothing to worry about. The Deputy will know that these proposed group water schemes have been designed so that the whole area can be served by Stage II of the Lough Easkey regional water supply scheme.

The four groups have a current estimated membership of 475 houses and 360 farms. The total estimated cost is almost £2 million. The design capacity of the schemes far exceeds this current demand. The additional capacity is needed for the many existing households which have not yet joined the scheme and for the future development needs of the area. Except for Culleens, the schemes are extremely costly due mainly to the requirement to lay large diameter watermains, plus the need for extensive rock excavation.

Because the density of housing is relatively low for an area of this size, group water scheme grants of £700 per house and £500 per farm are insufficient and the schemes would not be an economic proposition. Considering current budgetary circumstances, it would be difficult for my Department to provide funding for such high cost schemes from the Exchequer alone. However, the possibility of obtaining further EC funding for schemes of this sort to maintain the economic and social fabric of rural communities is currently being explored.

Mr. Rabbitte

This House is within 24 hours of rising for the summer recess and it has already been suggested that this Dáil may not reconvene, but there is one question only that my consituents in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Rathcoole and the surrounding region are concerned about and that is: what are the conclusions of the Kennedy report? Will they be published and, more particularly, what is the decision of the Minister and the Government regarding the construction of the Tallaght Regional Hospital? When can work commence on this desperately needed project? The rumour is around the House that the Government have decided to give the Tallaght Regional Hospital the go-ahead. I have raised this matter on many occasions in this House; it is the most important issue confronting my constituents, and the Minister for Health has expressed his full commitment in this regard. I accept the Minister's good faith. I mean no slight to the Minister of State, but the Minister for Health should be present to reply this evening. The rumour is around the House that the Government have given this project the go-ahead, but I am reminded that the rumour was around the House today that prophylactics could be dispensed through vending machines in the future. The Health (Family Planning) Amendment Bill, 1992, has been enacted today, and as far as I can see it does not provide for such vending machines. I hope that is not the type of rumour that is circulating about the Tallaght hospital.

For three years, on every conceivable occasion that the rules of this Dáil permit, I have raised this urgent question of the building of Tallaght Regional Hospital. I sincerely hope that the Minister of State is in a position this evening to give a positive reply to what is the most important issue that faces his and my constituents. I hope he is in a position to make an announcement here this evening that the Tallaght Regional Hospital has been given the go-ahead by the Government, that work can commence within months and the concern of mothers of young families and of people generally in Tallaght, Clondalkin and the surrounding region can finally be put to rest.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Flood)

The question raised by Deputy Rabbitte is: "To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the non-publication of the Kennedy report on the proposed Tallaght Hospital."

The Dublin Hospital Advisory Group, chaired by Professor David Kennedy, carried out a review of the function, scope and scale of the proposed Tallaght hospital and on the possible methods of funding its construction. The group submitted their report to my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Dr. O'Connell, recently and it is at present under active consideration.

Mr. Boylan

I thank the Minister for taking my question. I will not mention the family's name or the location of the institution where the person is placed as I do not want to cause any embarrassment to the family. Suffice it to say that this 27 year old person suffering from Downes Syndrome had a very happy family life living with her parents and family. As the family grew up family members moved out of the family home, got married and set up their own homes. The girl's mother died over a fortnight ago following a very sudden serious illness. The girl was sent to a health board institution. Notification has been given to the family that the girl is being returned to her parent's home tomorrow. Her widowed father lives in the family home, he is 71 years of age and in poor health. He would not be in a position to care for his daughter who has Downes Syndrome. This girl is quite placid, but she can become aggressive at times. Great strides have been made in recent years in treating people with Downes Syndrome and we must compliment all those involved in caring for those people. They are now being trained to care for themselves at an early age and young people with Downes Syndrome will be able to care for themselves when they are 27 years old. Facilities were not available when this person was a child, but she was very well cared for at home. This girl is in need of constant care. Her father cannot care for her: her brothers and sisters are married and have young families of their own. Her family are very concerned and distressed about her future. I would ask the Minister to ensure that this girl is accommodated in a State institution. Her family are upset about this arrangement but have no alternative.

Mr. Flood

I would like to inform the Deputy that the person referred to was accommodated in Clogher House residential unit from 26 June last. The North Eastern Health Board are aware of the family circumstances and, as such, it was never the intention of the board to send this person home. She will continue to reside in Clogher House until a group home placement can be found for her.

I would like to point out that an additional £5 million revenue and £1 million capital has been made available for the development of additional mental handicap services this year. The North Eastern Health Board have been allocated a revenue grant of £140,000 which will be used to provide a group home in Monaghan catering for eight persons, a group home in Athboy catering for five persons, day care facilities in Cavan which will cater for 25 persons and home support services which will cater for up to 30 families. In addition, a capital grant of £150,000 is also being provided towards the cost of the development of a day care centre in Cootehill.

These developments are a major step forward and will result in a considerable improvement in the level of services available in the region. I accept that more needs to be done, but I want to assure the Deputy that the service will be maintained at this higher level and it is my intention that this will be built on and further improved in future years.

I hope the Deputy is pleased with the assurance I have given him with regard to this case.

Mr. Boylan

I thank the Minister for his very constructive and charitable approach to this case.

The Dáil adjourned at 7.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 10 July 1992.