Press Releases
............PRESS RELEASE.....1st July 2002............
Pavee Point, along with other Traveller organisations, today protested outside the D?il at the signing in of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002 by the new Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Martin Cullen TD.
'As the Minister's first act in relation to Travellers - things augur badly for the future," said Martin Collins, Assistant Director Pavee Point.
"We were given an undertaking by the last Minister for the Environment, Noel Dempsey TD, that this law would not be signed in until our concerns were brought to Cabinet. This has not happened."
"Based on our experience, what faith should Travellers have that this Government will treat Travellers fairly and what faith should we have that it can deliver on its accommodation programme?"
"The signing in of this law means that Travellers living on the roadside - all because of the Government's failure to provide halting sites - now face arrest, imprisonment, the confiscation of their homes and a hefty fine. This is totally unjust and an attack people's human rights."
"The way to approach roadside encampments is to provide transient halting sites (where Travellers can stay for a short length of time) and permanent halting sites. The way to deal with illegal dumping is to enforce current litter laws or strengthen litter legislation, if necessary."
"To damn all Travellers because of the actions of a few is totally unjust and to try and eliminate nomadism among Travellers is a racist attack on a minority ethnic group and a blatant contravention of people's human rights," said Mr. Collins.
Pavee Point plans to fight this legislation in the courts at the earliest possible opportunity.
ENDS