John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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637. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the action he will take to ensure that Travellers are not evicted from Traveller specific sites until alternative accommodation is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25950/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. I understand that there have been no evictions from authorised traveller-specific sites. As regards unauthorised sites, section 10 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, as amended by section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, sets out the powers of local authorities in respect of unauthorised Traveller encampments. It provides that:

- local authorities have the power to remove an authorised Traveller encampment from a public place where it is located within five miles of an approved halting site, provided alternative accommodation is available on any approved site to which the unauthorised encampment can be moved;

- subject to the same proviso regarding available alternative accommodation, local authorities have the power to remove an unauthorised encampment from a public place where this is unfit for human habitation, or is likely to interfere with public or private amenities, or constitutes a health hazard; and

- where an unauthorised encampment is located in a public place within one mile of approved Traveller accommodation, it may be removed to a location which is not less than one mile from such approved accommodation, whether or not alternative accommodation is available.

While there is no statutory obligation to do so, in practice in cases involving the evictions of Travellers from unauthorised encampments, local authorities do seek to consult and negotiate with affected persons and families in advance of using eviction legislation.

Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees (LTACCs), which include Traveller representatives, elected Members, local authority officials and other stakeholders, have a statutory role in advising local authorities on the provision and management of accommodation for Travellers and are a liaison between Travellers and Members and officials in local authorities. It is important they discharge their functions effectively and consistently within and across local authorities. To this end, the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee is organising a conference for 4 November 2016 for all LTACCs with a view to improving their future operational effectiveness.