Mr. Bernard Joyce:

My understanding is that a mid-term review was done two years back. Regarding the Traveller accommodation programme, which runs for five years - the Deputy is correct to say it is a five-year plan - it is stipulated under legislation, the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, that each local authority must develop such a plan. However, when a plan is being developed, what matters is how it is put together. We can see that targets, in terms of the provision of accommodation, can be low estimates in respect of supply and demand. Even where these low estimates exist, in terms of building and construction, we can see that the delivery of Traveller accommodation is not coming onstream. It tends to move from one plan to another.

My understanding is that we are now in our fifth consecutive Traveller accommodation programme since 1998. In some areas, Traveller-specific accommodation has been identified and earmarked, but over 20 years the same provision of accommodation has not come on stream. It is always planned but not being developed. This is evident in areas across the country, such as in Dublin City Council and throughout County Dublin. Some areas, however, do not even have Traveller-specific accommodation identified. There is no plan in terms of assessment. In some areas, as well, the plans are becoming obsolete. They were not put together well, there is no oversight and, as Ms Brack referred to, there is no one national plan or no strategic approach.

Within the Irish Traveller movement, we find ourselves taking on the analysis in trying to break that down as opposed to the State or the Department doing it. When we break it down, it confirms the anecdotal evidence that the delivery of accommodation is not coming onstream. This goes back to the chronic overcrowding, the inadequacy of the provision of accommodation, the type of accommodation and group housing sites, and the curtailing of families into housing. People are not being given a choice.

The Deputy is involved in formal recognition, and we welcome that and thank him for his work in that regard. That has not, however, translated into a recognition of Traveller culture, what it looks like on the ground and how it applies in terms of the provision of culturally appropriate accommodation. I genuinely do not think everyone understands that or what it means. We do as a community, but it is not fully endorsed or accepted in the delivery and the commitments that are taking place. The next phase of the plans are being developed and we will look at harnessing that. Real and meaningful engagement and participation with the Traveller community is really important. It has to be resourced and led and there should be a national plan and oversight of that.

On the caravan loan grant scheme, the Deputy asked about its adequacy and the roll-out. It was initially a pilot and we were trying to engage on that. This year, it was rolled out nationally. In the roll-out, €2.65 million was allocated for 77 caravans in 2022, in nine pilot areas, but that has increased in 2023. There is an allocation for all the local authorities. In Meath, for example, there is an allocation for two caravans. In some areas, there is an allocation towards certain local authorities but a need for more than two, and that brings us to the total numbers regarding supply and demand against the request. The budget is not meeting the demand. The caravans being allocated are allocated for a certain sum and there is a loan. Moreover, the loan has to be paid back, but we are absolutely in agreement that there is a need for something other than a loan. It would make much more sense if there were a grant or a rental scheme, with caravans replaced over a period, but that is not the case at the moment. It has been argued for strongly by Traveller organisations, both local and national, and we feel that might be the best path forward to bring up the standards of people’s homes.