Galway Bay fm newsroom – The County Council is hoping to deliver 173 accommodation units for Traveller families by 2018.
A review of the council’s Traveller Accommodation Programme for 2014-2018 has been presented to councillors this week.
The report reveals that around 48 Traveller families are currently living in unauthorised encampments across the county.
These include road-side sites and involuntary sharing accommodation, and the families are classed as being in urgent need of accommodation.
The Traveller Accommodation Plan highlights the Tuam/Abbeyknockmoy area as the area with the greatest need for Traveller specific accommodation – it’s hoped 43 units can be provided there by 2018.
In a review outline presented to councillors this week, the council executive says its received three submissions on the plan.
These came from the HSE Traveller Health Unit, the West Traveller and Intercultural Centre in Tuam and Galway Traveller Movement.
The submissions highlight issues including fire safety, allocations policy, homelessness, maintenance issues and transient sites for the summer months.
The Traveller Accommodation Programme outlines the current urgent need for accommodation for 48 families- and a projected need for a further 125 units by 2018.
The County Council says its confident these targets can be met.