The Government today claimed a significant success in providing accommodation for Travellers, following the publication of new figures.
The Minister of State with responsibility for Housing Mr Noel Ahern welcomed Annual Count figures for the end of 2004 marking the end of the first local authority Traveller accommodation programmes.
The figures show a total of 6,991 Traveller families in the State, an increase of 1,433 families since the start of the programmes in 1999.
Despite the increase, the number of families on unauthorised sites fell by 606 to 601 - a reduction of over 50 per cent.
The number of families in permanent accommodation increased by 1,371 while a further 486 families in private rented accommodation.
Mr Ahern said the figures show "the substantial package of measures put in place by the Government is having a significant impact".
An estimated 464 families are living in houses provided from their own resources but the report found 546 families living in shared accommodation, which has been a concern for Traveller repsresentatives.
Mr Ahern acknowledged that more must be done: "Issues for the new programmes include setting and meeting realistic but challenging targets for accommodation provision and coming to grips with the issue of Transient site provision."
He announced an increase in funding for programmes this year to €45million up €35 million on 2004.