The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has urged local authorities and settled communities to stop blocking efforts to house Travellers.
Speaking at the launch of a book on Travellers in Ireland yesterday, he said: "We in the settled community must understand that rights of consultation on Traveller accommodation do not confer the power of veto over Traveller accommodation.
"In my opinion, it is simply impossible for Travellers in the absence of proper accommodation to access services to which they have an absolute entitlement, such as education, healthcare, leisure and recreation and training."
He noted that there was "no longer a resource problem", as the Government had made funds available for the implementation of five-year accommodation plans which all local authorities have had to draft under new legislation. Local authorities and residents groups "have to face up to that reality and stop blocking what is a major problem.
"How many times have we seen accommodation requirements of local authorities run into problems? I think we have to be sincere about ourselves. At a time when we put out a plan . . . we have to implement it. Some communities are great. Other communities don't want to know."
By dealing with Travellers' needs, he added, "we can show that we have moved to a new maturity" capable of responding to the newer challenge posed by the growing numbers of asylum-seekers coming here.
He said he knew "the vast majority of Travellers, just like the vast majority of settled people, are decent, law-abiding citizens. They do recognise that just as they have rights, so also do they have responsibilities. They would be the first to criticise any of their own who engage in anti-social or unlawful activities."
Of the new book, Travellers: Citizens of Ireland, Mr Ahern said he was the first to accept its strong message "that we have a distance yet to travel to arrive at equality for all of our people and the urgent need to end discrimination against Travellers".
Published by the Parish of the Travelling People, comprising 8,000 Travellers on the east coast, the book addresses issues from ethnicity and spirituality to education and health. A foreword is provided by the President, Mrs McAleese. Most of the contributors are Travellers.
Ms Cathleen McDonagh, a chaplain to the parish, said the book was originally to be a revision of a 1992 publication Do You Know Us At All? Due to the many legislative, culture and attitudinal changes in recent years a complete rewrite was considered necessary.
"There is more consultation now between Travellers and settled people, and Travellers themselves have become more visible and more vocal. The biggest change is in young Travellers, in whom you can see a lot of pain and hurt but also a lot more confidence and hope," said Ms McDonagh.
Another contributor to the book, Mr Michael McDonagh, a student of Traveller history and language, welcomed the introduction of equality legislation under which the Equality Authority has been established. However, he warned that "legislation alone will not do the job. You have to educate people and tackle ignorance as well."
Priced £9, Travellers: Citizens of Ireland is available from the Parish of the Travelling People, St Laurence House, 6 New Cabra Road, Phibsboro, Dublin 7. Tel: (01) 8388874. Email: partravs@iol.ie
