Traveller housing promises 'not being met'

One in five Traveller families are without proper accommodation five years after the launch of a dedicated housing programme, it was claimed today.

Pavee Point, a representative group, said it was disappointed that 1,463 Traveller families, or 22%, had no permanent quality accommodation.

Martin Collin of the association said these figures came five years after the adoption of Local Authority Traveller housing programmes.

He claimed some ‘basic service bays’ were often flooded, rat infested and had only basic facilities such as taps.

Pavee Point, a representative group, said they were concerned at the lack of traditional types of Traveller accommodation such as transient sites, halting sites and group housing schemes.

The latest figures from the Department of Environment and Local Government showed there were 788 families on unauthorised sites – 408 on the roadside, with 380 in private houses and on other sites.

Mr Collins said that another 323 families were sharing basic facilities with other family members.

He claimed there were 352 families housed in emergency and temporary facilities.

A review of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998 found there were 319 units of permanent Traveller specific accommodation constructed between 2000 and 2003.

Noel Ahern, Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, said local authorities had accommodated or assisted an additional 1,369 families into permanent housing during the period 2000 to 2003.

Mr Ahern said he accepted the numerous recommendations from the report of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC) on the 1998 Act.

He said some of them had already been implemented and he would act to ensure the others were pushed through.

Pavee Point called upon the Government to establish a National Traveller Accommodation Agency.

However, Mr Ahern said: “While the committee discussed the issue of establishing a Traveller accommodation agency it did not reach agreement on the matter.

“I do not accept that such an agency is required.”

The NTACC recommended that local authorities should consult Traveller housing representatives when they are reviewing their accommodation programmes.

It found that planning authorities should ensure that their zoning objectives are co-ordinated with Traveller accommodation programme.

The NTACC officials said that use of the Public Order legislation should not result in a family losing its position on the housing list or being removed from it.