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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Traveller Accommodation.

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

737 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the resources he will make available to South Dublin County Council regarding staffing levels to deal with Traveller accommodation; and if he has satisfied himself that existing legislation does not promote, condone or protect certain activities (details supplied). [22215/01]

It is the responsibility of the manager of each local authority to ensure that staffing levels in the authority are adequate to ensure that the functions assigned to it are carried out. Requests by local authorities for the creation of additional posts are considered on their merits by my Department. Expenditure arising as a result of additional staffing costs is a matter for local authorities in the context of the determination of their annual Estimates.

My Department's primary responsibility in this area is to ensure that there is an adequate legis-

lative and financial framework within which local authorities, voluntary bodies and Travellers may provide or be assisted in the provision or management of accommodation for Travellers. Local authorities have a range of powers under section 32 of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, in relation to unauthorised Traveller encampments which are on public land and on the roadside, located within specified distances of Traveller accommodation provided by any housing authority or voluntary body with the assistance of a housing authority, or in poor condition or interfere with amenities or are likely to

be or are a risk to personal or public health or safety.

There are other powers available to local authorities such as those available under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, in relation to the prohibition of temporary dwellings in certain areas and controls under environmental, litter, waste management and public health legislation and the legislation relating to the control of dogs and horses. Under the Roads Acts, vehicles must not be parked in a manner which interferes with the normal flow of traffic or which obstructs or endangers other traffic. The enforcement of the law relating to public order is a matter for the Garda Síochána.

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

738 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will amend the Traveller Accommodation Act, 1998, to require those families who have been allocated accommodation not to vacate such accommodation until they have ascertained the availability of alternative accommodation at their destination; and if he will set up a central body to co-ordinate such transfers in conjunction with local authorities. [22216/01]

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

739 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the duty of care owed by individual local authorities to provide accommodation for Travellers who have already been provided with permanent accommodation by another local authority. [22218/01]

The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, requires local authorities carrying out a statutory assessment of needs under section 9 of the Housing Act, 1988, to include a separate assessment for the needs for caravan sites for Travellers. The assessment must include the assessment of need for sites with limited facilities, normally referred to as transient sites, to take account of the annual pattern of movement of Travellers. Under the 1998 Act, local authorities are required to have regard to the need for transient sites as identified in assessments of need and Traveller accommodation programmes.
I have no proposals to amend the 1998 Act to prohibit Travellers vacating permanent accommodation for the purposes of travelling elsewhere as I consider such a provision would not be enforceable. There are no proposals to establish a central body to co-ordinate the provision of accommodation for Travellers moving as part of the annual pattern of movement of Travellers. However, the guidelines for accommodating transient traveller families issued by my Department in June 2000 advise local authorities to encourage Traveller families to ascertain the position regarding accommodation before moving to another area. The guidelines also advise local authorities to give priority to Traveller families who reserve places on transient sites in advance, where such sites are provided.
Question No. 740 answered with Question No. 736.
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