16 October 2000

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR COUNCILLORS TO RECOGNISE TRAVELLER’S NEEDS

The Green Party has called for Councillors to recognise the needs of the Travelling Community. The Green Party’s Dáil candidate in Dun Laoghaire, Councillor Ciarán Cuffe called for his fellow Councillors to work in partnership with the Travelling Community to address the issues that affect them. Speaking at a Workshop entitled ‘Citizen Traveller’ organised by Political Communications Ltd, he stated that councillors often fail to recognise the Travellers’ point of view.

 (The Conference held in the Merrion Square Offices of PCL was attended by representatives of Travellers’ Groups from around Ireland, contact Jacqueline Hall 661 4210)

“The Travelling People have a separate identity, culture, tradition and history,” he stated, “We must recognise this before we jump to solutions that often are more suited to the settled community.”

“Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council must make the purchase of land for Traveller accommodation a higher priority, so that we meet our responsibilities under the 1998 Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act. We must seek to reduce the levels of disadvantage that Travellers experience. This means providing a range of accommodation options for travellers who normally reside in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and who wish to have such accommodation. The types of housing we provide must be designed in consultation with the Travelling Community."

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe         618 3082   or   087 265 2075