Sir, - Michael Farrell of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (September 16th) mentions that the statistics for travellers' infant mortality, life expectancy, unemployment and educational take-up are very poor and implies that this is because of discrimination. Most travellers who have been in an area for a length of time have been offered houses, but have refused them.
Their choice puts themselves, and especially their children, at a major disadvantage. In contrast, most settled people put their children's health and education at the top of their priorities. A majority of publicly elected politicians on the Task Force on the Travelling Community recommended that nomadic lifestyles should be discouraged because of the disadvantages to travellers, conflicts with the settled community and the inordinate cost to the taxpayer.
Travellers have made a mess of the Sugar Loaf, one of Wicklow's best and most accessible attractions. They seem to be exempt from laws relating to litter, pollution, dumping, trespass, dog control, driving English-registered four-wheel drive cars and trucks which don't seem to be taxed or insured.
A major reason why these laws cannot be enforced is that they refuse to pay fines, and the only penalty is imprisonment. It seems ridiculous that fines can't be collected by the State. Uncollected fines should be deducted at source (like PAYE) from social welfare payments, under court supervision. This would be more humane and effective than sending people to prison.
I understand that there is a proposal before Government to exempt halting sites from planning permission. This is unacceptable, as no section of society should be exempt from environmental laws. Enforcement of penalties must be changed to enable existing laws to be enforced against travellers before any anti-discrimination law is enacted. I would urge voters to lobby politicians to ensure this happens. - Yours, etc.,
From Derek Mitchell
Town commissioner, Greystones, Co Wicklow.