Vol. 466 No. 6
77 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has regarding the composition of the membership of the Traveller Accommodation Agency; if he intends to have any representatives of residents' associations as members; the way in which members will be chosen or appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11973/96]
78 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment the way in which he intends to address the increasing number of travellers coming to Dublin from other parts of the Country in view of the fact that the Dublin local authorities have a backlog of established traveller families in need of accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11974/96]
79 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that the development of halting sites in residential areas is a reasonable response to the needs of travellers in view of the fact that such sites are not subject to the normal planning requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11975/96]
80 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to incorporate provision for economic activities and communal needs in the requirements for halting sites as suggested in section 2.4.2, page 12, of the Interim Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community; if he intends to refuse applications for funding by local authorities which ignore economic and basic communal needs on halting sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11976/96]
81 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment whether he has adopted the guidelines recommended by the Task Force on the Travelling Community; the proposed publication date for the guidelines; whether they will remain as guidelines or be given the force of legislation or regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11977/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 to 81, inclusive, together.
The National Strategy for Travellers' Accommodation, which I announced on 27 March 1996, is the Government's comprehensive response to the recommendations on the accommodation of travellers contained in the report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community. Details of the Strategy are set out in the reply to Questions Nos. 16 and 82 on 27 March 1996 and in my statement to the Dáil on 23 April 1996 on the report of the task force. The strategy takes account of all the problems encountered to date in providing suitable accommodation for travellers and addresses accommodation needs arising from the increase in the number of traveller families and the pattern of migration of the traveller population.
In relation to the recommendations of the task force concerning the establishment of a statutory Travelling Accommodation Agency, I refer to the reply to Question No. 155 of 21 May last.
The location of individual halting sites is a matter for decision by the local authority concerned. While the provision of such sites by local authorities is not subject to the public consultation requirements of Part X of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994, like all local authority development, halting sites must not contravene the terms of the relevant city or county development plan. In this context, I refer to the proposals in the national strategy for amendments of the Planning Acts to put in place an effective framework to facilitate implementation of travellers accommodation plans.
