asked the Minister for the Environment the number of travellers' families in need of housing in County Dublin; and the steps he will take to meet these needs.

Primary responsibility for the housing needs of travellers in County Dublin as in other areas, rests with the local authority concerned. A survey carried out by the local authority early in 1984 indicates that out of a total of 332 families on the roadside in the County Dublin area, 128 expressed a preference for houses, 176 wanted halting sites provided and 28 had no interest in any accommodation. As indicated in the statement of Government policy in relation to the travelling people, issued on 20 July, the Government have accepted the recommendation of the Travelling People Review Body that primary responsibility for the accommodation needs of travellers should remain with local authorities but that this responsibility should be more clearly defined and provision made to ensure that it is carried out.

A circular letter issued to local authorities on 13 September drew their attention to the terms of the Government statement; stressed the need for local authorities to adopt a systematic approach to the housing needs of travellers, as an integral part of their ordinary housing operations; asked that local authorities should review their letting schemes to ensure that they are not prejudicial to the housing prospects of travellers; and drew their attention to a number of specific suggestions about the housing of travellers and the provision of halting sites which had been made by the review body and requested that these suggestions should be incorporated into the on-going procedures of individual authorities.

The Minister says that responsibility rests with the local authority concerned, but have the Government made a decision that the responsibility shall lie with the county manager and that the role of the elected councillor has been changed in some way? The impression has gone abroad from a statement which issued that no longer would elected councillors be involved in the decision to provide facilities for travellers but that it should be solely a managerial function. That would be very detrimental to local democracy.

That statement is not correct. When local authorities fail to adopt what I have listed as priorities for the placing of itinerants, the county manager will have the responsibility to do that work.

Is that not the same thing? Is the elected councillors' role being changed? When providing facilities for travellers it is important that there be consultation, discussion and negotiation between all the interested parties. The Minister can be assured that he will get the fullest support from this side of the House in pursuing a policy of providing proper housing facilities for all travelling people.

That is not a question.

I wanted to give the Minister that assurance. The problem remains that the Minister is making a fundamental change which could have serious repercussions and could affect the progress of housing these people.

I have clearly stated that where it was obvious that there was a lack of co-operation to deal with the problem, the county manager would be asked to use his powers to house or to create halting sites for itinerants in his functional area. I am very pleased to have the backing of the Deputy and his party in solving this problem.