New Traveller accommodation programme adopted in Wicklow
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow County Council has adopted a new traveller accommodation programme that will cover the period 2025-2029.
The document has been published following an extensive period of engagement and consultation with the traveller community, with an assessment of needs carried out over several months by a range of stakeholders including the Bray Travellers Community Development Group, in conjunction with Wicklow County Council's social worker.
This is the sixth plan the council has adopted and is guided by the principals of equality and non-discrimination.
In their policy statement the council pledges to “provide equitable access to accommodation for all members of the traveller community, to ensure that their specific needs are met.”
Where resources allow, it is the policy of the local authority to provide standard and group housing options as well as halting sites for the accommodation of travellers who are on the list for social housing support.
Over the lifetime of the five-year programme, 53 units will be delivered across the five municipal districts with 13 in Arklow, 5 in Baltinglass, 10 in Bray, 10 in Greystones and 15 in Wicklow.
Improvement and upgrade works will also take place on several sites around the county. These include a retro fit upgrade to existing day units at the St Clares and Balinteskin halting sites within the Arklow Municipal District.
The plan will be reviewed and monitored on a continuous basis with progress reports being presented to the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (LTACC) for review.
The committee’s role is to provide a forum where issues affecting the community can be addressed in a co-ordinated manner. Membership of the committee includes travellers, traveller development groups, elected members of the county council and council staff.
Speaking during the council’s July monthly meeting, director of services Michael Nicholson said Wicklow has a “very good record of providing traveller accommodation”.
“In this five-year plan 45 of the units we provide will be standard which reflects the desire of the travelling community to live in standard housing. We are also going to spend a lot of time and energy on improving fire safety.”
“The document has gone through the LTACC chaired with his usual passion by Councillor Joe Behan, and it has gone through the Housing Strategic Planning Committee chaired with equal passion by Councillor Graham Richmond.”
“We had submissions from the Irish Traveller Movement, and we had a lot of public consultation as well.” he added.
The motion to adopt the plan was proposed by Cllr Behan and seconded by Cllr John Snell.
Cllr Behan paid tribute to all those involved in preparing the strategy.
“There's a great spirit of cooperation on the committee. All decisions are made by consensus. There's a very good track record of working together, I think instituted originally by Theresa O'Brien when she was housing officer as well, and that has continued into this LTACC, as we call it.”
Cllr Snell singled out Cllr Behan for his individual efforts in helping to get the document published.
“He has been a champion really for the people who say they have the least voice out there, least representative of having their voices heard, the members of the travelling community. And I know that Joe and all the members have been to the forefront in making sure that nobody is left behind.”
Cllr Snell also expressed the importance that the programme is implemented as intended.
“We know the tragedy that happened in regards to Carrickmines and the fire that happened and that dreadful incident, and since then all local authorities upped their game, but we in Wicklow didn't have to up our game because to be honest we have been punching above our weight for many, many years in regards to meeting the obligations of the minority grouping that is the traveller community.”
“We know that there's a crisis out there regarding rental accommodation and long gone is the day when the traveller community were the only ones that struggled to find rental accommodation. The reality is now that rental crisis affects everybody, whether you're a traveller or a country person, whether you are non-national or otherwise.” he added.
In his final remarks, Cllr Snell raised concern about the number of caravans being pulled up near residential houses to use their electricity supplies.
“I fear for the fact that if we're not going to address it, it could potentially lead to a disaster. I honestly believe that at this moment in time it could be a backward step if we as a local authority, don't address it.”
In response Mr Nicholson advised members to report any such incidents to council staff.
“I also just want to thank Mary Rose Walker, social worker, for her work on this and also Caroline Fox who led this from the start to finish.”
While the plan is focused mainly on the physical delivery of accommodation, efforts will also be made to address a range of other complex issues affecting the traveller community including mental health and welfare.