Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - Halting Sites.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

423 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of halting sites in the past ten years provided by each local authority; the local authorities which provided facilities for the travelling community; his instructions to county managers who have responsibility and power by direction from his Department to provide for housing and halting site facilities for the travelling community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8055/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The statement following gives details of the number of halting sites provided by each local authority in the last ten years.

The annual count of traveller families, which sets out the accommodation situation of travellers in each local authority area, is published in the Annual Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The 1998 bulletin will be published shortly.

As the Deputy may be aware, relevant housing authorities – county councils, county borough corporations, borough corporations and Bray and Dundalk Urban District Councils – are obliged under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, to draw up and implement five year traveller accommodation programmes. I have arranged to send to the Deputy copies of the circular letter and detailed memorandum on the implementation of the Act which issued to local authorities following its enactment. The memorandum incorporates directions issued under a number of sections of the Act. Furthermore, my Department, in conjunction with the housing unit of the Institute of Public Administration, conduc ted a number of seminars for local authority staff involved in the implementation of the Act to appraise them of its requirements.

Local Authority	Number ofSites
Cavan County Council	1
Clare County Council	1
Cork Corporation	3
Cork County Council	6
Donegal County Council	4
Dublin Corporation	6
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council	5
Fingal County Council	7
South Dublin County Council	6
Galway Corporation	3
Galway County Council	5
Kerry County Council	4
Kilkenny County Council	2
Laois County Council	1
Leitrim County Council	1
Limerick Corporation	6
Limerick County Council	5
Longford County Council	1
Louth County Council (Drogheda Corporation)	1
Mayo County Council	1
Meath County Council	2
Monaghan County Council	1
Offaly County Council	2
Sligo Corporation	2
Sligo County Council	1
Tipperary (N.R.) County Council	1
Tipperary (S.R.) County Council	4
Waterford Corporation	2
Waterford County Council	1
Westmeath County Council	3
Wexford County Council	4
Wicklow County Council	3
Total	95

Note: Figures for county councils include urban district councils.