Press Release January 2005
19th January 2005
"No Change." Sufficient Progress?
Pavee Point would like to clarify its statement of January 17th in light of today's Department of the Environment's press release.
Mr
Collins noted that "there are an additional 323 families sharing basic
facilitates with other family members", rather than '323 families
sharing basic service bays' as stated in the Department's Press Release.
In fact in Pavee Point's press release we erred on the side of caution.
In reality the number of Traveller families without permanent quality
accommodation is 30% rather than the 23% indicated in yesterday's press
release. The Irish Traveller Movement's (ITM) analysis of the
Department of the Environment's figures highlights that there are 598
Traveller families sharing accommodation in overcrowded conditions with
others, 352 families living in emergency/temporary accommodation and
788 families living on the
roadside. This is a total of 1,738 families with no permanent accommodation i.e. 30% of all Traveller families.
In addition as stated by the ITM, "Since 1999 599 units of Traveller specific accommodation has been implemented. In 1995 the government Task Force on the Traveller Community recommended 2,200 by the year 2000".
Pavee Point once again calls on Minister Noel Ahern to establish a National Traveller Accommodation Agency.
Pavee Point has been and continues to be committed to working in partnership with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in ensuring that the accommodation plans are fully implemented.
ENDS.
Issued by Pavee Point Traveller's Centre, 46 North Great Charles St, Dublin 1. Ph: 01 8780255