Provision of Halting Sites by Local Authorities Other Accommodation Types for Travellers can include: Standard Local Authority Social Housing Traveller Group Housing RAS (abbrev for Rental Accommodation Scheme) & Leasing HAP (abbrev for Housing Assistance Payment) Voluntary Housing Rural Dwellings (not applicable in cities) Private Rented Accommodation an unauthorised encampment on public land 51° 16′ 33″ N, 1° 06′ 21″ W 16 March 2010 A halting site should not be confused with an encampment set up on private or public land (including highway verges and lay-bys) without the consent of the landowner. Due to these being unauthorised the people residing there are liable to eviction. These lack facilities and are referred to in official documents as "Temporary Dwellings". The provisions set out in the 1998 Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act contain strong powers for local authorities to deal with unauthorised temporary dwellings. There are penalties used to deal with illegal encampments, as outlined in relevant legislation. an encampment on a highway verge 16 March 2010 These laws include: Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1948 Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 Section 10 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 as amended by Section 32 of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998 Roads Act, 1993 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 (as amended) Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002 height restriction barricade to prevent encampments on public land 3 January 2009 The Housing Department in the Local Authority of each county implements the Traveller Accommodation Programme. This Traveller Accommodation Programme is determined by assessment of need in the local government's administrative area, in accordance with the terms of the 1998 Act. Local authorities calculate the accommodation needs of Traveller households who are approved applicants for accommodation. This involves a census of the number of Travellers residing in the county towards the end of the calendar year. The assessment is done in consultation with the Travelling Community, Travellers’ Organisations, the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, Public Representatives, the wider community and other Statutory and Voluntary Bodies. Accommodation Provision in Consultation A big change to relations between the Traveling Community and the settled community is how the state has committed to working with Travellers. This is seen in County Councils and other relevant agencies delivering accommodation in consultation with members of the Travelling Community. The 1998 Act has provisions to allow for consultation by the County Council with the Travelling Community. The local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes sets out to enable Traveller ownership of and pride in the programme itself. This is accomplished by Traveller participation in the structures, processes, and associations that play a role in managing housing and accommodation provided. The Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees (LTACC) was established to facilitate consultation between Housing Authorities and Travellers. Membership of the LTACC provides for a number of Traveller positions depending on the size of the population. The committee gives advice on the provision and management of accommodation for Travellers. History of Halting Sites Introduction Historically, many Travellers resided in temporary camping sites located on roadsides. life on the road for Irish Travellers in the 1960s. Taken by Geoff Charles on 1 November 1963 (Geoff Charles Collection at the National Library of Wales (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru)). These sites were often set up on land where ownership was unclear. This could be a section of a road that had been widened or straightened. Undeveloped building sites in urban or suburban areas were also used. Public Perception of Halting Sites Causes for Resentment Loose horses grazing on public land can be a concern for passers-by Some halting sites become the source of resentment from other local residents because of examples of anti-social behaviour. Regular concerns include increased litter, vandalism, house robberies, begging, noise, loose horses and/or dogs, a build-up of discarded domestic waste and scrap metal. People have fears for their personal safety, household security as well as a fall in property value. A succession of news stories feature in the media about topics like, faction fighting, illegal dumping, storage of stolen goods, drug trafficking, paramilitarism, drunken aggression, and slave labour. local people can get suspicious, however misplaced that may be Effects of Anti-Social Behaviour Not only does anti-social behaviour impacts negatively on local residents but there is a heavy financial burden. The cost involved causes money to be re-directed from other County Council services. The county council as the landlord of halting sites is obliged to follow up on complaints Geographical Distribution in the Republic of Ireland The following is a sample of halting sites across Ireland
Provision by local authorities Other accommodation types for Travellers can include: Standard Local Authority Social Housing Traveller Group Housing RAS (abbrev for Rental Accommodation Scheme) & Leasing HAP (abbrev for Housing Assistance Payment) Voluntary Housing Rural Dwellings (not applicable in cities) Private Rented Accommodation an unauthorised encampment on public land 51° 16′ 33″ N, 1° 06′ 21″ W 16 March 2010 A halting site should not be confused with an encampment set up on private or public land (including highway verges and lay-bys) without the consent of the landowner. Due to these being unauthorised the people residing there are liable to eviction. These lack facilities and are referred to in official documents as "Temporary Dwellings". The provisions set out in the 1998 Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act contain strong powers for local authorities to deal with unauthorised temporary dwellings. There are penalties used to deal with illegal encampments, as outlined in relevant legislation. an encampment on a highway verge 16 March 2010 These laws include: Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1948 Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 Section 10 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 as amended by Section 32 of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998 Roads Act, 1993 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 (as amended) Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002 height restriction barricade to prevent encampments on public land 3 January 2009 The Housing Department in the Local Authority of each county implements the Traveller Accommodation Programme. This Traveller Accommodation Programme is determined by assessment of need in the local government's administrative area, in accordance with the terms of the 1998 Act. Local authorities calculate the accommodation needs of Traveller households who are approved applicants for accommodation. This involves a census of the number of Travellers residing in the county towards the end of the calendar year. The assessment is done in consultation with the Travelling Community, Travellers’ Organisations, the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, Public Representatives, the wider community and other Statutory and Voluntary Bodies. Accommodation provision in consultation A big change to relations between the Traveling Community and the settled community is how the state has committed to working with Travellers. This is seen in County Councils and other relevant agencies delivering accommodation in consultation with members of the Travelling Community. The 1998 Act has provisions to allow for consultation by the County Council with the Travelling Community. The local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes sets out to enable Traveller ownership of and pride in the programme itself. This is accomplished by Traveller participation in the structures, processes, and associations that play a role in managing housing and accommodation provided. The Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees (LTACC) was established to facilitate consultation between Housing Authorities and Travellers. Membership of the LTACC provides for a number of Traveller positions depending on the size of the population. The committee gives advice on the provision and management of accommodation for Travellers. History Introduction Historically, many Travellers resided in temporary camping sites located on roadsides. life on the road for Irish Travellers in the 1960s. Taken by Geoff Charles on 1 November 1963 (Geoff Charles Collection at the National Library of Wales (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru)). These sites were often set up on land where ownership was unclear. This could be a section of a road that had been widened or straightened. Undeveloped building sites in urban or suburban areas were also used. Public perception Causes for resentment Loose horses grazing on public land can be a concern for passers-by Some halting sites become the source of resentment from other local residents because of examples of anti-social behaviour. Regular concerns include increased litter, vandalism, house robberies, begging, noise, loose horses and/or dogs, a build-up of discarded domestic waste and scrap metal. People have fears for their personal safety, household security as well as a fall in property value. A succession of news stories feature in the media about topics like, faction fighting, illegal dumping, storage of stolen goods, drug trafficking, paramilitarism, drunken aggression, and slave labour. local people can get suspicious, however misplaced that may be Effects of anti-social behaviour Not only does anti-social behaviour impacts negatively on local residents but there is a heavy financial burden. The cost involved causes money to be re-directed from other County Council services. The county council as the landlord of halting sites is obliged to follow up on complaints Geographical distribution in the Republic of Ireland The following is a sample of halting sites across Ireland
R
of Halting Sites by Local Authorities
by local authorities
R
Accommodation Types
accommodation types
R
Provision in Consultation
provision in consultation
D
of Halting Sites
R
Perception of Halting Sites Causes for Resentment
perception Causes for resentment
R
Anti-Social Behaviour
anti-social behaviour
R
Distribution
distribution