Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 November 2004
281 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of halting sites completed by each local authority for each year in the past three years; the number of transient sites provided for the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27451/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra
In addition to providing accommodation for Travellers in standard social housing, under their five-year Traveller accommodation programmes, local authorities provide accommodation for Travellers in Traveller specific accommodation such as group houses and halting site bays. Local authorities also refurbish existing Traveller specific accommodation to modern standards.
The following table shows the number of permanent halting site bays provided in the period 2001-03. In addition to this, a further 106 new emergency-temporary bays were provided for Travellers awaiting permanent accommodation, 130 permanent halting site bays were refurbished, as were 11 emergency-temporary bays.
Between 2001 and 2003, two local authorities provided transient facilities for Travellers. Donegal County Council provided 20 units and Westmeath County Council provided 12 units, while a number of other local authorities have indicated that some of the bays in their permanent halting sites are used as transient bays from time to time.
|
Local Authority |
Year |
No. of Permanent Halting Site Bays |
|
Birr Town Co. |
2003 |
6 |
|
Carlow Co. Co. |
2003 |
1 |
|
Clare Co. Co. |
2003 |
4 |
|
Fingal Co. Co. |
2003 |
10 |
|
North Tipperary Co. Co. |
2003 |
2 |
|
Tralee Town Co. |
2003 |
4 |
|
Westmeath Co. Co. |
2003 |
8 |
|
Dún Laoghaire — Rathdown Co. Co. |
2002 |
4 |
|
South Dublin Co. Co. |
2002 |
13 |
|
Dungarvan Town Co. |
2002 |
8 |
|
North Tipp. Co. Co. |
2002 |
2 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2001 |
10 |
|
Total |
72 |
282 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of applications for funding received in his Department by local authorities seeking to provide halting or transient sites in their areas; the number of local authorities that have halting sites; if the number of sites are compatible with the needs of the local authority; the funding available from his Department in regard to the provision of such sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27452/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, all relevant local authorities adopted five-year Traveller accommodation programmes covering the period 2000 to 2004. The provision, under these programmes, of new Traveller specific accommodation and the refurbishment of existing Traveller specific accommodation, which includes halting sites and group houses, is funded under my Department's Traveller accommodation capital programme, for which €40 million was allocated in 2004.
In addition to funding for schemes under construction or schemes completed with outstanding balances, there are 11 applications for funding to commence permanent halting sites schemes being considered by my Department. There are currently no applications for funding for transient sites before my Department.
As required under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, each county and city council, borough council and the town councils of Bray and Dundalk have prepared and adopted five-year Traveller accommodation programmes covering the period 2000 to 2004. Of the 38 local authorities that undertook a Traveller accommodation programme, 36 have permanent halting sites in their functional areas. Louth County Council and Wexford Borough Council do not have permanent halting sites in their functional areas; however, Traveller families are accommodated on permanent halting sites in Drogheda Borough Council and Dundalk Town Council, in the case of Louth County Council, and Wexford County Council in the case of Wexford Borough Council.
Local authorities provide Traveller accommodation in accordance with their five-year Traveller accommodation programmes, which are based on a prior assessment of need. This assessment takes into account both current and future need having regard to new family formations. While local authorities are not in a position, in all cases, to make precise assessments of the category of accommodation required, programmes generally allow for further consideration of new identified needs for Traveller accommodation over the course of the programmes.
