Halting site
[7] The provisions set out in the 1998 Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act contain strong powers for local authorities to deal with unauthorised temporary dwellings.
[11] 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.
[13] Regarding halting site size, case studies showed that the range should be between five and fifteen bays but consensus rests on the number of ten.
The conclusion was drawn that sites that are smaller than ten bays can create difficulties in the provision of onsite services (such as community centres and pre-school facilities) because of the economies of scale involved.
This is accomplished by Traveller participation in the structures, processes, and associations that play a role in managing housing and accommodation provided.
There have been frustrated attempts to "identify and resolve" issues arising from "vandalism, malicious damage and anti-social behavior" on halting sites.
County Councils have a statutory responsibility to ensure appropriate fire safety standards at all Local Authority housing units, which includes halting sites.
[27] The presence of unauthorised dwellings, contributing to overcrowding on halting sites, is an ongoing serious concern for fire safety.
[29] The findings of a report commissioned by the Scottish Office in 1917 sheds some light on the direction officials in this part of Europe were going regarding consideration of accommodation for traditionally travelling groups.
The 1917 Departmental Committee on Tinkers in Scotland identified that municipal provision of camp facilities would enable children to participate in education on a regular basis.
The first Traveller caravan park resembling what today is called a halting site was in Kent in England.
A pilot scheme was introduced in Kent County in 1951 to provide a planned and equipped area for gypsies and travellers to reside instead of the unsuitable winter camping sites used previously.
The policy was promoted as an alternative to the ad hoc approach used hitherto of officials "moving people off one unauthorised site and leaving them to find another one".
This marked a departure in the history of the Irish state, up to this point the government had simply deferred to the Catholic Church in the area of social welfare.
The references to this conference in the Report stands out because of the Irish acknowledgment that dealings with Travellers in the Netherlands improved when a holistic approach was taken.
[39] The recommendations of having financial incentive, and a system of oversight to bypass "local political and community indifference" did not occur with the 1998 Act.
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.
[42] A succession of news stories feature in the media about topics like, faction fighting,[43][44][45][46] illegal dumping,[47][48] storage of stolen goods,[49] drug trafficking,[50][51] paramilitarism,[52][53] drunken aggression,[54] and slave labour.
[57] The extent of feeling on the issue can be seen when on occasion people take legal action on proposed halting sites.
A County Council may reduce the waiting time if the evictee can convince them they are willing and able to live in the community without engaging in further anti-social behaviour.
[63] Some Travellers surveyed have agreed with penalties, arguing for intervention by official bodies to tackle anti-social behaviour issues.
It was pointed out that the local authority and the Garda Síochána need to intervene and take action at an early stage to deal with issues of violence.
[65] There have been reported cases of violence erupting involving unauthorised people in a halting site,[66] and deteriorating family relations.
