Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am substituting for Senator Kelleher. This is my first committee meeting. Please bear with me as I try to formulate my thoughts and notes.

I thank the independent expert group for its presentation, observations and findings. It is a welcome report. I also appreciate and acknowledge that the Traveller representative organisations have also welcomed these findings and recommendations. It is important to be cognisant that with no Traveller representation on this committee and on the expert group, the phrase “nothing about us without us” comes to mind. It is vital we keep lines of communication completely transparent and open between the committee and its work, as well as any future work from the Department, and the Traveller community. Otherwise, that is where many problems can arise.

Coming from County Offaly, I am well aware of the frustrations regarding Traveller accommodation both within the Traveller community and those outside of it. During my short stint as a councillor on Offaly County Council, I was rather disappointed to find out there was a significant underspend of departmental funding for Traveller accommodation purposes. Although it is not unique to Offaly, it needs further examination. I am aware Professor Norris alluded to this in her answers already. We need far greater communication among Traveller representative groups, local communities, local authorities and Departments. Otherwise, I fear we will never see an end to this problem facing this particularly vulnerable section of our society.

I also appreciate that CENA Housing Association has worked well with Offaly County Council. That is promising and progressive.

Some members brought up the issue of an ethnic identifier. Is there a way of finding more information in this regard through the Traveller representative groups? Have they details on Travellers in social housing? Has this been explored already?

As I was prepared for a Minister to be present, I have had to slightly change my questions but can the expert group suggest a timeline for the implementation of its short-term recommendations? Does the expert group envisage that each local authority should be instructed to have a Traveller unit in its structures, according with best practice guidelines in delivering that service? It has been indicated to me that local authorities have used allocations for Traveller accommodation to hire security firms to assist in evictions? Did this crop up with the expert group? Given that a €1.5 million increase was given for Traveller accommodation in budget 2020, mostly going towards refurbishments, what does the expert group believe the budgetary intention or the proposal under these new structures should be? What is the shortfall in this regard?

The recommendations under the chapter on capacity and resources are crucial. The practical concerns in terms of Traveller accommodation need more support. Issues such as waste management and water services are relatively cost-effective ways of improving accommodation for Travellers. Greater supports in those would assist greatly. The expert group indicated how household size is different. That practical aspect needs to be considered. Some of those aspects are not particularly costly; it is just about providing a service.