Significant progress has been made by a local authority which was criticised by the Ombudsman for Children three years ago, over the living conditions of 66 children and their families at a halting site.
The No End in Site investigation, published in May 2021, highlighted "deplorable conditions" for 11 complainant families at the local authority halting site, which was not named to protect the identities of the children.
The report described rodent infestation, inadequate sanitation and higher rates of skin and respiratory problems among the children than in the general population.
According to an updated report, "significant progress" has been made by the local authority on ten recommendations that were made in the report.
Over €1.4m has been spent on refurbishment and upgrading the site according to the Ombudsman for Children's Office.
Funding of €17.9m has also been approved by the Department of Housing to develop a separate group housing scheme to accommodate 15 families who expressed a preference for traveller-specific accommodation in an alternative location.
Director of Investigations at the Ombudsman for Children's Office Nuala Ward said that while there are still some outstanding issues on both sides, the response by the local authority could act as "a blueprint" for others.
The update has been welcomed by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights.
