Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his comprehensive report. I also welcome all the guests to the Visitors Gallery. I have no difficulty with the Minister's report. I have read it in detail. In the recommendations he has short-term, medium-term and long-term objectives, which is clearly strategic and makes absolute sense. The report is based on resources, and practical things can be done. I have no difficulty with that.

I want to spend my time talking about the Traveller accommodation issue in its broadest sense. I have come to the Seanad from a local authority. I commiserate because I was around on the very night that massive inferno took place in Carrickmines, in the local authority of which I was an elected member. However, it is the same local authority that is on record as opposing Traveller accommodation. I do not like to say it to the Minister, but he is a leading member of the Fine Gael Party, and Fine Gael councillors put out publicity and literature during the last general election campaign opposing Traveller accommodation. I know that does not sit comfortably with the Minister, because he is an innately decent person driven to deliver the policies, but that is the reality and it goes for most parties. They constantly oppose Traveller accommodation. There is nearly an incitement to hatred in some of the language used. I am amazed it has not been pursued as a hate crime because it is really irresponsible of any politician to talk in such derogatory terms and to frustrate and oppose the provision of Traveller accommodation. The big problem I see is that the county managers and chief executives, by their nature, wheel and deal to get things done. I say that in the best sense of the term. I also see the pressure mounted by elected representatives, who call themselves democrats, and community representatives who oppose Traveller accommodation. I am encouraged by a sentence in the Minister's contribution in which he talked about specific Traveller accommodation to address the specific needs of Traveller communities. He has acknowledged that here, which is good, and I welcome that. However, how can we progress the matter? It is not acceptable that we have a large number of caravans crammed into very tight sites.The question must be asked as to why they are on very tight sites in the first place. The reason is because the local authorities have not been able to get the cross-party political support, on the ground, to deliver Traveller accommodation. This issue needs to come back centrally into the Minister's Department, and there needs to be quarterly reports on his website, not the local authorities' websites. We know they have failed to deliver on appropriate, safe, good accommodation and sites.

The work, trade and pursuits of Travellers must also be acknowledged, be they involved in horses, metalwork, crafts or mechanics. These are the things they want to do, that give them access to work and a meaningful day. That also has to become part of the overall view of what we are looking for in appropriate accommodation for Travellers' needs.

If I can leave the Minister with one message it is that he needs to bring the matter centrally back into his Department. He needs to bring out quarterly reports on how councillors are delivering other accommodation programmes. Consider Dún Laoghaire west pier. There are four caravans facing the easterly winds with a timber lattice around them because nobody will provide appropriate accommodation for the needs of a family that has been there for 25 years. That is the reality of a situation in Dún Laoghaire which is a very affluent part of the world and it is happening on the watch of all parties. The issue needs to be taken back centrally and we need to have quarterly deliverables. We need to have people asking councils why they are failing, why they are not doing it, where they are not delivering on it. It is not enough for people they have washed their hands of the Customs House or that they have washed their hands of this into the local authorities. The Minister needs to take control. I appeal to him to go back to his parliamentary party and to issue a circular to councillors that he knows and works with to tell them of their responsibilities, that they must respect and acknowledge the dignity of Travellers in the political literature and in the councillors' language and discourse. Unless we change councillors' attitudes - and that goes for all of us - we are not going anywhere. I would ask that the Minister puts on record with the membership of his party, where he stands and what he expects of them.