19/03/2004
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
"Local authority five-year Traveller accommodation programmes are making a difference," said Minister Noel Ahern T.D., Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, when welcoming recently compiled Traveller accommodation figures for 2003. "The Government and local authority commitment to pushing ahead with the Traveller accommodation programmes, adopted by the authorities in 2000, is achieving results," he added
The Minister was speaking (today 18 March) as the latest figures show that 2003 saw a significant increase in the number of Traveller families in all categories of accommodation provided by local authorities. "Since the programmes began in 2000," said Mr Ahern, "1,369 Traveller families have been accommodated by or with the assistance of local authorities." He pointed out that it was estimated a further 327 families had provided accommodation through their own resources either by purchasing their own accommodation or taking up private rented accommodation. He also referred to the extensive programme of refurbishing, to modern standards, of existing Traveller specific accommodation.
The number of Traveller families on unauthorised sites fell from 1,207 families at the end of 1999 to 788 families at the end of 2003. "This continuing reduction in the number of families on unauthorised sites is most welcome," said the Minister. "It represents a total decrease of 419 families since the programmes commenced," he continued.
Mr Ahern congratulated the local authorities responsible for these positive developments, but he went on to say "We should not become complacent. There are still too many families awaiting permanent accommodation. The Government are committed to seeing progress in this area. As a mark of that commitment it has made a significant allocation of €40 million - an increase of 33% on the 2003 allocation, for new and refurbished Traveller specific accommodation in 2004." Mr Ahern said, "This is in addition to the expenditure on standard local authority accommodation in which Traveller families will also be accommodated."