Ms Catherine Joyce:

I thank the committee for giving me the opportunity to speak at this meeting. I will focus on the role of the local accommodation consultative committees and their lack of willingness or ability to deliver accommodation programmes.

I emphasise that we are in the third round of a five year programme for local accommodation plans. The national statistics show that as many Travellers are living on the side of the road or in need of accommodation as there were when the plans were initiated. We must question why the money is being returned when there is still such a need for accommodation, Traveller-specific accommodation in particular.

From our experience in Blanchardstown, the local accommodation consultative committees are not productive; they are not meeting needs and are certainly not addressing the issue of Traveller accommodation. We ask for an independent review of the committees to examine their ineffectiveness in dealing with Traveller needs. I concur with Mr. Collins in asking for an independent agency to represent the accommodation issues for Travellers because the local authorities are not able to do so. The failure to spend the money allocated for Traveller accommodation is evidence that the accommodation has not been and will not be provided.

I work in the Fingal County Council area. We have made significant improvements in the delivery of new accommodation units. However, these new units are part of the previous plan rather than the current programme. For example, recent sites have been provided in Barn Lodge and Stockhole under the former five year programme. I ask where are the new builds under the current programme and where is the willingness to provide accommodation for the families in need.

Unfortunately, the Fingal County Council area has one of the largest remaining temporary sites in the country, at St. Mary's in Cappagh field, which has been in existence for more than 15 years. The families concerned do not have access to electricity, proper sanitation or rubbish collection services. They have been waiting for permanent accommodation for 15 years, either in mainstream housing or Traveller-specific accommodation. There is serious concern because their accommodation needs are not being met. The local accommodation consultative committees are designed to allow Travellers and the local authority to agree on plans for accommodation and review their implementation. They also monitor their maintenance and upkeep. However, the local authorities and the local accommodation consultative committees do not deliver. We asked what funding had been allocated for the maintenance and refurbishment of sites. The response was that the local authority could not provide that information for us or the local accommodation consultative committee representative who represented our organisation. If we are unable to obtain that information at the level of the local accommodation consultative committee, I ask who can obtain it and where can it be obtained. We need to know how much funding is being allocated for the maintenance and upkeep of sites and the timeframe involved. Where can we obtain that information if it is not available at the local accommodation consultative committee?

If the local accommodation consultative committees are the mechanism to be used in the delivery of accommodation for Travellers by the local authorities, how are local organisations to survive if we are to be integrated into the local community development structures of the local authorities in 2014 or 2015? How will it be possible for us to address the myriad issues relating to deficits in education, training, accommodation and health, if these are within the remit of the local authority? Local authorities in general and Fingal County Council, in particular, have proved that they cannot deliver in providing accommodation for Travellers. We are very concerned as to whether they will be able to deliver on all other issues relevant to Travellers.

In 2013 families are living in local authority areas and do not have access to toilets, water or electricity. What will be the position at the end of this programme because the review will only cover previous programmes? No new accommodation has been built under the current programme.

The McDonald family live in the Dunsink area. They have been waiting for ten years on the local authority housing list. They have been identified by the local authority and it has been agreed that accommodation will be provided for the family group. As recently as two months ago, the families were told the accommodation which was to be provided in a mainstream housing estate would not be provided because the local authority was reviewing the position. The rationale for the decision has not been explained to them by the local authority. More than €7.5 million has been handed back by Fingal County Council, while families are still in need of accommodation.

I would like answers to these questions from the representatives of Fingal County Council who are present.