Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the contact he or his departmental officials have had with Wicklow County Council with respect to policy proposals on transitional halting sites in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36789/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of accommodation for Travellers is a matter for local authorities. My Department's role is to ensure that there is an adequate legislative and financial system in place to assist the local authorities in providing such accommodation. In that context there are frequent and ongoing contacts between my Department's officials and local authorities in relation to all aspects of their current Traveller accommodation programmes.

In its 2005 to 2008 Traveller accommodation programme, Wicklow County Council proposed the provision of transitional halting sites in a number of locations within the county to accommodate families awaiting permanent accommodation. A copy of the council's Traveller accommodation programme was received in my Department in May 2005.

It is understood that the council engaged planning consultants to examine and report on potential locations for the proposed transitional sites. In June 2005, a copy of the consultants' report was forwarded to my Department by e-mail. On receipt of this report, my Department contacted Wicklow County Council to establish the status of the report. The council indicated that the report was to be presented for discussion at area committee level and also with the housing strategic policy committee and the local Traveller accommodation consultative committee. In due course it would be presented to the full council for discussion and decision.

The arrangement and timing of these discussions is entirely a matter for Wicklow County Council. My Department's involvement will be to assess the eligibility for funding of any application which might be received from the council in respect of such accommodation.