4,000 families living in ‘deplorable’ conditions

ABOUT 4,000 Travellers are living in “hazardous and deplorable” conditions — half of whom are living without water, sanitary and electricity services, a new report claims.

Conducted by the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) and chronicling the status of Traveller accommodation in Ireland over nine years, the report concluded local authorities have failed to deliver on programmes underpinned by the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.

The ITM says there are 422 families, about 2,000 people, living on roadsides or in private fields and gardens. A further 390 families, up to 1,900 people, are estimated to be sharing accommodation. In some cases, they are reportedly living three families to a house or three trailers in a small bay, with upwards of 16 people using a portable toilet.

“The combined total of shared accommodation and unauthorised sites amounts to approximately 4,000 people living in at best, basic, and at its worst, hazardous and deplorable conditions throughout Ireland despite the Traveller accommodation programmes locally,” the report stated.

“A considerable number of those families are waiting to be accommodated for many years with little hope of any change soon.”

Some families have been waiting for up to 15 years to be accommodated. The report also notes an “alarming ” increase last year in Traveller families being accommodated in private rented options.

The Traveller population is rising (by 2,654 families in seven years from 2002), but Traveller- specific accommodation is not keeping pace. Furthermore, local authorities prefer private rented options which are not culturally appropriate to Travellers’ needs.

Accommodation officer with the ITM Colette Spears said some families included in local programmes have been waiting for 10 years on roadsides and in fields with no electricity, running water, flush toilets or washing facilities.

“They have lost all hope of being accommodated. They feel they have been left with no option than to accept a private rented option. With no sanctions in place to penalise local authorities which do not deliver, what hope is there for Traveller families, in this current economic situation.”

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment said it continues to encourage local authorities to reduce the number of families living on unauthorised sites or sharing accommodation.