Sir, - Permanent halting sites are racist and even tribal ghetto slums and their provision should form no part of how Ireland should accommodate her citizens.
The fact that it is the minority advocating this separatist "solution" does not absolve local authorities from the responsibility of not operating an apartheid system in this not so fair land of ours.
What we need are municipal camping, caravan and trailer parks, where any citizens and visitors, young and old, and of all colours and creeds, can stay in safety.
I have visited such parks in France and noticed that I was sharing the (basic but pristine) facilities with people who, by the superior robustness of their equipment, were obviously Travellers. These were large municipal camping parks and were also well utilised by tourists and young adventure scouts.
Here in Ireland, I think that such parks are badly needed to accommodate citizens who live permanently in mobile homes, tourists both Irish and foreign, students, both Irish and visiting, youth groups, adventure scouts, and migrant workers.
The question of educating the children of citizens who need to move from place to place on this island should not be a major problem in this Internet communication age.
These parks would facilitate accommodation only, the provision of facilities for the businesses of Travellers is a question for the enterprise support authorities. - Yours, etc., Seamus McDonnell,
Celbridge, Co Kildare.