Press Release January 2005
17th January 2005
Out of Sight, Out of Mind? 1,463 (22% of Traveller families), still living without permanent quality accommodation
Pavee Point welcomes the publication of the Review of the Operation of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. We also acknowledge and welcome progress in the provision of Local Authority Standard Housing. However we are concerned at the lack of provision in Traveller Specific Accommodation: halting site accommodation, group housing schemes and transient sites.
This report would seem to indicate a new unofficial policy towards Traveller accommodation of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ by forcing Travellers into general housing schemes (by not providing sufficient Traveller specific accommodation) and reducing the number of families on the roadside by forcing Travellers through new eviction laws into already overcrowded, unhealthy and unsanitary existing temporary sites. Huge earthen embankments and high unsightly walls are often placed around Traveller sites to provide a curtain to the general public.
Pavee Point Assistant Director and Human Rights Commissioner Martin Collins stated: “I am disappointed to see Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government figures which demonstrate that there are 788 families still living by the side of the road, there are an additional 323 families sharing basic facilities with other family members, with a further 352 families in emergency and temporary facilities, this brings a total of 1,463 (22% of Traveller families), still living without permanent quality accommodation 5 years after the adoption of Local Authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes.”
Another concern is the way the government is presenting the data which is hiding the stark reality that 22% of Traveller families are living without permanent quality accommodation. The introduction of four new categories involving the word ‘sharing’ obscures the reality that ‘sharing’ is in reality a euphemism for Travellers living in conditions of chronic overcrowding. The term ‘basic service bays’ refers to sites that are often flooded, rat infested and lacking in everything but the most basic of facilities such as shared taps.
In its second report on Ireland ECRI (the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance) stated: “…the fact that no sanctions are provided for in the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act against authorities who do not take measures to provide accommodation for Travellers may weaken its effectiveness.”
Pavee Point once again calls on the government to establish a National Traveller Accommodation Agency without delay.
ENDS.
For further information contact Martin Collins on 01 8780255
Issued by Pavee Point Travellers’ Centre, 46 North Great Charles Street, Dublin 1. Tel: 8780255.