Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 1 February 2024
Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community
Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed)
Mr. Niall ? Donnabh?in:
To date, we have spent €2.1 million on Spring Lane alone. There is also an estimated €500,000 to €600,000 for electrical upgrades. That relates to welfare units. Ten are currently being provided on the site as we speak. Civil works are being done and new welfare units are being provided for all the families. A new school walkway was provided. That was specifically identified in the OCO report and the connectivity from the site to the local school through an adjoining estate. That has been provided for. Many upgrades have happened to individual bays and walls. I could go into specific detail, but a lot of improvements have been made. I completely accept that it is still not where it needs to be.
Ultimately, the site, as identified in the TAP and as we are committed to, is a long-term redevelopment. We are engaged with every family on that site. We are doing welfare units and electrical upgrades. We are doing critical elements of work provided for on a family-by-family basis. We provided for two new bays associated with the provision of the school walkway. We are improving circumstances as we go and we will continue to do that. Ultimately, with the long-term plan in place, a lot of that work will be undone. We need a pragmatic approach to what we do in the meantime. We have taken a view on that regarding the works we do and we have communicated to the families accordingly.