Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Kelleher. Most of my questions have been answered.

The biggest issue is the lack of emergency accommodation for Traveller families and no point of contact. When one approaches a local authority one does not know who to contact. I welcome the expert group's 32 recommendations. Every local authority must provide somebody who can be contacted at any time. I make that suggestion because I have found that over weekends or in the middle of the week people will meet various housing officers so the current system does not work. Even though I deal with my own local authority I do not have a port of call. I urge the Minister to appoint someone who will give information. The biggest issue for Traveller families is the lack of information and, therefore, they do not know their entitlements.

Another area that has not been addressed is the refurbishment work or home improvement grants. Traveller families do not know their entitlements so we must remedy that situation. Unless we, as public representatives and Oireachtas Members, give information then it will not be given. If we address these issues it would be a huge help to Traveller families.

I welcome the allocation of an extra €1.5 million in budget 2020. The Carlow local authority was one of the 31 local authorities that drew down funding. What happens to the money that is not drawn down? Let us say the €14.5 million in budget 2020 is not drawn and the local authority does not get the funding. What happens to the funding? Will the Government use it for something else? I strongly suggest that whatever money is allocated for Traveller accommodation is kept separate and not lost even though the local authorities do not draw it down. The Department should consult the local authorities and ask them why they have not drawn down the moneys. I understand that this is all about enforcement. Perhaps we should have someone in every local authority to give information for a few years or as long as we have an emergency housing crisis. I deal with the emergency housing crisis on a regular basis and would appreciate if the Minister addressed this matter. The 32 recommendations are excellent. Once they are enforced and all of the agencies work together, I firmly believe there will be a huge improvement. Therefore, I give this initiative my full support.