Mr. Tom Gilligan:

I thank the Chairperson and members. Tomás Ó Giollagáin is ainm dom. I am the director of services with Mayo County Council. Táim anseo inniu le Eileen Corcoran, Traveller accommodation officer, and Derek Walsh, Traveller accommodation liaison officer.

We thank members for the invitation to attend today’s meeting to discuss policy matter relating to accommodation for Travellers, including matters relating to the caravan loan scheme for the Traveller community, and implementing the recommendations featured in the final report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community.

Local authorities have general responsibility for the provision of housing, including the provision of Traveller accommodation, and are governed by the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. The preparation, adoption and implementation of our Traveller accommodation plan is a key requirement of Mayo County Council. Mayo County Council, as a housing authority, provides a range of supports and homes to people with a housing need, including Traveller-specific accommodation. Mayo County Council works in partnership with approved housing bodies, Ireland’s charity sector and other stakeholders to assist Traveller families to ensure their accommodation needs are met via standard local authority or AHB housing, group housing and halting sites. Mayo County Council also supports accommodation provided through subsidisation via the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or housing assistance payment, HAP.

With regard to the number of traveller households in the county, Mayo County Council's annual count for 2023 of traveller households and their accommodation indicated that there were 472 traveller households in the county, 297 of which were in standard accommodation. The breakdown of the 297 figure is as follows: 220 are in either local authority accommodation or approved housing body tenancies; 76 are in supported tenancies in the private sector, through HAP or RAS; and one is living in long-term leasing. The remaining 175 traveller households are broken down as follows: 11 are in specific accommodation; 25 are in emergency accommodation; 36 are sharing; 48 are in private ownership; 31 are in private rented accommodation; and 24 are in other accommodation.

The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 places a statutory obligation on local authorities such as Mayo County Council to prepare and implement a traveller accommodation programme. Our programme specifies targets to be met during the period 2019-24. This can be seen at appendix 1 of the opening statement.

It is the policy of Mayo County Council to provide for the accommodation needs of Travellers, as far as is reasonable and feasible, using the full range of housing options available to the council. In the provision of accommodation, priority will be given to members of the Traveller community who were born in the county and who have lived in the county continuously, or who, having returned to the county, have lived in it for a continuous period of one year, or who, having moved into the county, have lived in it for a continuous period of not less than three years.

With regard to the equality action plan, on 30 June 2023, pursuant to section 32(1)(b) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 in relation to traveller accommodation, Mayo County Council was requested and submitted its equality action plan. The council has identified actions to be progressed at this time pursuant to the plan. Implementation of same is a matter for the council. The commission welcomed timely implementation to be undertaken in a transparent manner. On 28 November 2023, the commission advised us that it is now at an advanced stage of consideration of the equality action plan and will provide feedback in respect of the plan in early 2024. That plan, with regard to the framework of equality plan, is broken down into three main frameworks on engagement and partnership in planning, organisational equality, and data collection, transparency and protection.

As part of our corporate plan 2019-24, advancing the implementation of the provisions contained in the Traveller accommodation programme is listed as a corporate strategy. This strategy is included to ensure the delivery of a corporate objective, which is "to ensure that every Mayo family can live in a dwelling of good standard, located in an acceptable environment, at a price or rent they can afford." The county development plan, which was adopted up to 2028, states that it is an objective of the council to take reasonable steps to secure the implementation of the Traveller accommodation programme in the county.

On our accommodation policy, the council recognises and will have regard to the distinct cultural identity of Travellers in the provision, maintenance and management of accommodation for the Traveller community. Accommodation in social housing is allocated transparently and equitably on the basis of need and in accordance with the council’s scheme of letting priorities and having regard to good estate management practice, achieving a social mix within areas, compatibility of families, anti-social behaviour, social and previous accommodation history and house size requirement.

With regard to achieving good estate management and achieving a social mix, the council, in keeping with the wishes of the vast majority of Traveller families, avoids an over-concentration of Traveller families in any one housing estate. It is considered by the council that a reasonable balance in this regard currently exists within social housing estates in the county. It is the policy of the council to ensure that this balance is maintained.

Casual vacancies in social housing and transfers within the existing council housing stock are assessed on the basis of the scheme of letting priorities. With regard to design, the council has regard to the specific housing needs of Travellers in the design of social schemes in as far as is practicable.

It is recognised that the keeping of horses is a tradition, which continues to be practised by some Traveller families. Such families are required to make their own arrangements for the acquisition of land for grazing purposes and be prepared to provide for the rent or purchase of this land.

As for group schemes and single houses, the programme provides housing for Traveller families through the development of group schemes specifically developed for Traveller families and through the development or acquisition of single instance housing, as appropriate, where funding is available. There are ongoing developments within these schemes at present. The council actively encourages and facilitates Travellers who wish to avail of privately funded accommodation through incremental purchase scheme.

I will not go through all of the other aspects but I will highlight the areas of voluntary housing, new family formations and returning families. With regard to the private rented accommodation housing assistance payment, HAP, Mayo County Council, through the Traveller accommodation liaison officers, continues to assist and support families in securing private rented accommodation where reasonable accommodation is available. The provision of private rented accommodation is one of the methods used by the council to meet the targets in its programme. Every effort is made to ensure the families have access to rent supplement and to sustain families availing of the scheme. As with all applicants who are currently availing of RAS or HAP, they can go onto the Mayo County Council transfer list.

The RAS and leasing schemes have made significant progress since the last programme. They are now accepted as a mainstream social housing support offering a high standard of accommodation with medium-term security of tenure and on a differential rent basis.

As regards refusal of housing, it is our policy to allow two refusals of reasonable offers of accommodation, recognising and taking into account any personal issues.

Homelessness is now a common experience for many Traveller families and a particularly fast-growing trend across all local authorities. Mayo County Council is taking account of this in its current and future plans.

In accordance with section 8 of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, as amended by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, Mayo County Council gave notice of its intention to carry out an assessment of the need for accommodation for Travellers prior to the preparation of the Traveller accommodation plan. We invited submissions but to date none have been received.

On programme delivery, it is the intention of the council to communicate the requirements of the programme and to co-ordinate efforts within the county to ensure the success of the plan for the statutory period up to 2024. The council promotes the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation by voluntary groups operating within the county. There will be an annual review of progress on the implementation of the programme in addition to the statutory reviews after three years.

In appendix 1 of our Traveller accommodation programme, TAP, for 2019 to 2024, projected need is indicated to be 100 units. With regard to appendix 2, the summary of the position from 2019 to January 2024, members will see we exceeded the target and the figure now stands at 126. This figure includes transfers to meet the changing accommodation need of the families concerned.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh and támid sásta ceisteanna a fhreagrairt.