Mr. Mike Allen:

We very much welcome the fact that that debate on the use of public land for Traveller accommodation has come into the LDA debate. That is very positive. The debate about integration is also very positive. I have just one small word of warning, which is that the integration of Traveller-specific accommodation is not achieved simply by putting it adjacent to the social housing estate, which is the view that was taken in far too many towns. That is problematic as well. The integration needs to be with the wider community. The more prosperous owner-occupier parts of town are where the real integration comes in. It should be remembered as well that the building of communities is not just about delivering the homes or integration of the physical housing; an additional element is needed. One of the things we have failed to do is understand the role of community development workers and people working in the social care environment in building up communities. The work Focus Ireland has done with Sligo County Council in the Cranmore estate is a real example of interaction, community development and workers on the ground turning a community which was seen as problematic into a place where people want to live. We often neglect that rule for human beings and community development: the workers and skills that go into making communities will work better than just building the housing and then walking away.