Council survey shows change in Travellers' accommodation preferences
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Many Travellers surveyed by Cork County Council as part of a specific programme to provide proper accommodation expressed a desire to reside in more rural areas with space to keep caravans and horses.
The council’s Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025 - 2029 found the sentiment to keep the family unit close together and to have their own space and privacy.
There was little desire to reside on halting sites or Traveller-specific accommodation unless the site was explicitly for their own family.
Feuding between rival families was mentioned throughout the report, which is impacting accommodation needs and desires. Some participants stated that they cannot live in certain areas due to feuding, some of which is historical.
The lack of some types of accommodation requested by Travellers has proved a problem for the council.
The report said this is specifically an issue in relation to four-bedroom units or larger. Another issue is requests for detached properties in urban areas which the local authority doesn’t have, along with end of terrace houses in council estates which are in limited supply.
The report said granting the latter can lead to issues with parking of trailers and other vehicles, and dumping of rubbish, causing complaints.
Some applicants have expressed a desire to reside on a family-only halting site or in group housing specific to their own family.
Others require standard accommodation in areas where there is a scarcity of council properties, and which are areas of high demand across the entire housing waiting list.
Meanwhile, some young Traveller couples want to remain in caravans/mobiles/demountables on the grounds of family property which is not permitted under tenancy agreements, and leads to complaints from neighbours.
More than a third of those who responded to the council survey favoured being allocated a standard house, while 11% expressed desire to live in a bungalow with family residing in surrounding houses on their own site.
In total 92% of respondents said they don’t own horses, 6% do and 2% said they wish to do at some stage.
While the survey was on housing need, many Travellers expressed concerns about high mortality rates and poor health.
Low levels of literacy and high levels of discrimination experienced were also mentioned along with unsafe living conditions and poor access to public services.
It has been proposed to improve some halting sites, providing additional space, and upgrading existing sewerage and electricity.
Meanwhile, training has been provided by the council’s Traveller Accommodation Unit (TAU) to the Traveller Representative Group and members of the community to enable them search online for private rented accommodation, using CBL (Choice Based Letting) and Daft.ie etc.
The council said training been ‘tailored to assist those who struggle with literacy’.
It is proposed the TAU will expand on this and carry out regular training workshops with Traveller groups and individuals.
The report stated even though there were considerable difficulties during covid contacting and housing Travellers, the council managed to exceed its targets during its last accommodation programme of 2019 – 2024.
It made 100 offers of rehousing during that period, of which 85 were accepted.
There were 49 given proper homes in North Cork, followed by 22 in West Cork and 14 in South Cork. There were 10 refusals of accommodation in North Cork, three in West Cork, and two in South Cork.