Sir, - Mary Gardiner (August 30th) might best look for her answers on the facing page of your paper on the day her letter appeared. There Noel Dempsey, Minister for Environment and Local Government, writes that the Planning and Development Bill "is about enhancing the quality of life for everybody who lives in this State. Having a decent home is basic to any family's standard of living, is essential for health and happiness. . ."
These decent, civilised standards are precisely those we deny to Travellers. Where we have failed is in not providing throughout the country sufficient numbers of properly equipped and serviced halting sites for our itinerant population, as has been done in other European countries. A warm, dry living-place with electricity, running water and WC is a rightful expectation. Without it a Traveller cannot compete for worthwhile employment, will not enjoy parity of esteem and, worst of all, cannot get his children educated.
What stands in the way of putting in place these essentials for a civilised community? We have the land. We have the money. The Planning and Development Bill will be an opportunity, long overdue, to offer Travellers the fair deal to which they are entitled. - Yours, etc.
W. H. Walsh, Londsdale Mews, Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.