Seanad debates

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Traveller Accommodation: Statements

 

10:30 am

Photo of Mary FitzpatrickMary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to welcome the Minister of State on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party.Before I say another word, I wish to acknowledge Senator Flynn, whose presence will contribute greatly to this important discussion. I am honoured to contribute on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party.

We have all been consumed by the issue of Covid since March. It has taken over our lives, but it is important not to forget that the housing crisis that has gripped our country has not gone away. In many respects, it has been further highlighted, and the housing difficulties experienced by people have been intensified, by Covid. No one suffers more than those who are homeless and those in the Traveller community. When we discuss the Traveller community, it is important that we give the issues of homelessness and Traveller accommodation time in the House. I thank the Minister of State for giving his time to discuss them with us.

The Minister of State articulated well the Department's commitment to tackling the issue on behalf of the Government, but we are holding this debate in the context of just two thirds of the funding that was allocated for Traveller accommodation last year being drawn down by local authorities. We all accept that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on construction and local authorities, but that is no excuse for such a paltry drawdown of funding that has been made available by the Government. I welcome the Minister of State's recognition that this has been a persistent issue, and one that needs to be called out. It is reassuring to know that the expert committee, which was established in 2019, has also recognised this issue and is dedicated to tackling it. Importantly, the programme for Government commits to ensuring that the housing needs of the Traveller community are met by local authorities and that funding is drawn down and utilised. The Minister of State mentioned that €21 million would be allocated next year to support the community's housing needs. As the year progresses, we must ensure that local authorities draw down those funds.

I do not want to embarrass anyone, but if we are to have an honest debate, we must call councils out. As of October, nine local authorities had yet to draw down funding for Traveller accommodation. They include Cork, South Dublin, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow county councils. A further seven local authorities have drawn down less than €100,000. In 2019, eight local authorities - Carlow, Clare, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth and Meath - spent more than their allocated amounts. Three local authorities did not apply for funding, those being, Mayo County Council, Galway City Council and Laois County Council. We need to break this issue down to the local level. We are working with the Government to ensure that funds are allocated at national level, but if local authorities are not going to access and use them to meet a set of needs that are well documented but inadequately provided for at local level, we are at nothing.

It is critical that we ensure that the aspirations and ambitions of the Traveller community, in particular its younger generations, are realised so that its members can be full participants in society. It is great to see Senator Flynn in the Chamber. She is a full participant in the Seanad alongside all of us. We will ensure that younger members of the Traveller community will have access to a secure home and will know that they can reach their full potential, participate in education and make a full contribution, just as Senator Flynn is doing.That will never happen unless we address Traveller accommodation needs. The key commitments in the programme for Government include implementation of the national Traveller health action plan and a review of the Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy. There is also a commitment to undertake an independent assessment of the pilot projects which are aimed at retaining Traveller and Roma children in education and ensuring the housing needs of the Traveller community are met by local authorities. That is critical. I come from a local authority background and in the Dublin Central constituency we have a strong Roma community that is growing in number. It is important that all of these young people are given full access to education to achieve their full potential.

On the national Traveller accommodation consultative committee mentioned by the Minister of State, the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017–2021 represents a whole-of-government approach to bringing about meaningful change and progress for the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. I like the fact that it is a living document, which will be reviewed and amended. That iterative process is very important. Traveller and Roma organisations were involved in its development and are members of its steering committee to monitor its implementation. The strategy contains some 149 actions. That is a great deal of work. It is important that it is an iterative process and that the strategy is reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The expert group appointed in 2019 reviewed the effectiveness, implementation and operation of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 and produced 32 recommendations specifically relating to Traveller accommodation. The proposals are aimed at addressing the research deficiencies, including how information is gathered and used, removing any delays in and obstacles to the delivery of accommodation in the planning system, increasing resources and delivery capacity, and strengthening governance arrangements.

I wish the Minister of State well in his work. He has our full support. It is very important that at the end of its four-year term, when it looks back over the programme for Government, the Government concludes that it has delivered for the Traveller community, most critically in the area of accommodation. I firmly believe that without having a secure place to call home, it is difficult to engage in school, education, training and work and to participate in society. That is essential for all of us. The Government has made a strong commitment. It will have our support in delivering on it and I wish it well.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.