Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is one year since the Carrickmines tragedy and it is important to have this debate to let all views be heard across the House. One year ago it was a very human tragedy when ten lives were lost on a halting site in Carrickmines. It was a very real tragedy that affected not only that family but the wider Traveller community as well.

To be fair to the Minister and his officials, they have outlined the immediate steps that were taken at that time. I have listened carefully to the Senator and he is right. I say that as a Fine Gael representative. There are councillors in our party that have actively campaigned against Travellers' rights and entitlements but that goes for every party also. We need to show leadership and the Senator is right to raise that issue. These are the issues that we do not talk about, unfortunately, a lot of the time. This House should take a step forward in showing leadership on the wider Traveller accommodation issue. A consequence of last year's tragedy was a real reminder about standards and the ability of local authorities to carry out their obligations as housing authorities.

Reference was made to funding, and the Fianna Fáil spokesperson spoke about the drawdown of funding. It is a fact that approximately 80% of funding for Traveller accommodation of the last ten years was drawn down and 20% was handed back. There are reasons for that and it is important we look at that to analyse why the full drawdown is not occurring. It is quite obvious to me, and Senators have alluded to it, that there are local issues where local authorities are the housing authority and elected members oppose the establishment of Traveller accommodation in their local electoral areas and that needs to be addressed.

I recognise that Traveller representative groups are looking for a national Traveller accommodation forum or committee that would allocate housing. It is my personal view that I am unsure this is the right way to go. It could cause further division between local authorities and when allocations happen. I believe it is about building capacity and confidence within the local authority system, but that cannot be done unless there is some element of sanction or accountability for local authorities. If we are to be honest about it, since the Traveller accommodation committee was established some local authorities have been successful and some have been deplorable. There are reasons for that. I feel it is very unfair to point the finger at Travellers. They are a minority and they want further inclusivity and I believe we should all agree with that.

I recall when I was a member of a local authority putting my neck on the line in my local authority area and saying to members in my own area that certain Travellers needed to be accommodated. There was some kickback on that electorally and, I will be honest, some of my electorate disagreed with me. I probably suffered a bit for that view. Travellers genuinely need housing accommodation or accommodation to suit their requirements, to a high standard. Last week the Department made recommendations for local and national levels. I shall not go over them again as they are in the public record. It is an obligation on local authorities, as housing authorities, not only for social housing tenants but also for Travellers, to ensure that people who have a need in their respective areas are accommodated to the standard that, at the very least, ensures fire safety and meets the accommodation needs that exist.

I acknowledge the increased funding for Traveller accommodation in the 2017 budget but it is not just about providing money. There are deeper issues that must be resolved by Traveller representative groups, Travellers and communities engaging together, sitting around the table and building confidence and capacity within communities. It should not be about them and us. That is part of the problem.

I return to the issue, as outlined by the other Senators, of public leaflets being put out by some people. It is unacceptable for Fine Gael representatives to do that, and I say this as a Fine Gael Senator. It is unacceptable for any representative to do that. We should all show leadership with regard to our obligations and our needs. The Minister can only do so much. He provides the policy, the framework and the funding and that has been put in place. He has directed local authorities and he has provided the audit of all local Traveller accommodation sites, be they unofficial or official. The record speaks for itself, but now we need to follow through.

The Traveller accommodation committees around the State need a national review. The Housing Agency has a role to play in this regard as an independent body that can give independent oversight to how successful those committees are. We need to be very frank about where the barriers are. Some people will cite anti-social behaviour and other issues but that is as much evident in the settled community as in the Traveller community. Many of us are experienced representatives and we have represented all sectors of society, and that is the way it should be, but anti-social behaviour happens as much in a settled community as it does with Travellers. It must be acknowledged that there are a few, a minority, who give the Traveller community a bad name. That is where the confidence building issues need to be built upon. We need to have further engagement with communities. We need the local authorities on the ground to engage, face to face, with Traveller representatives and we need to bring them forward to community representatives and work together to provide high standards of accommodation. The funding is there and it has been proven over the last ten years that only 80% of the funding has been drawn down. There are deeper, underlying issues that we all need to be honest and upfront about. Senators have referred to those issues.

With regard to local representatives, we speak in this House about local councillors, their increased workload and their mandate. This is a very fundamental mandate for councillors. Why should we hand it back to a central Department and to bureaucrats. Councillors should take this on board and stand up four-square. It is a responsibility, whether they like it or not. I know that councillors elect Senators to this House, but it is a responsibility they need to deal with on the ground and show leadership on. It is only by taking that route that it will work. By taking it away from local communities and councillors we are allowing them to abdicate that responsibility. I do not believe that is the answer. The Minister needs to have a national oversight and overview, provide the framework, the policy and the funding. Ultimately it is down to the housing authorities, supported by their local elected representatives, of all parties and none, to provide that accommodation. Until that leadership happens, along with the leadership in the Traveller community, unfortunately we are not going to resolve many of the outstanding issues.