Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If you take the maintenance money out of Traveller accommodation budget, they could spend hundreds of thousands of euro on repairs on sites. These could include kitchens that would not be put into settled people’s houses but it is okay to put them into Traveller homes. At yesterday’s disability committee, I spoke about children and people with disabilities. To give an example, 23 years ago I was in an accident. OTs came out to make the house fit for purpose and, even today, we are yet to get the shower that we were promised. That is just a little insight into the kind of waiting. It is about being fit for purpose. I can talk on behalf of Labre Park but it is no different in Cork. It is a lot of money for equipment and work that, in my opinion, is not fit for purpose. The heating is absolutely appalling. We had a Minister of State out in Labre Park. He could not believe his eyes. Earlier Deputy Buckley spoke about going onto halting sites. As a committee, we see that as a waste of our time because the previous committee had visited sites. We did not want to go out and visit and talk and say “Ah, the poor Travellers,” and then walk away from the sites and not be able to do much. If we can get some action for the committee then we can go onto sites.

When it comes to repairs, I could not let it pass without answering the question. Something this committee needs to look at around accommodation is the standard of repairs for Traveller accommodation.