Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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258. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the current total number of Traveller families accommodated as a percentage of the targets set in the local Traveller accommodation programme, by each local authority, in tabular form. [23544/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

TAPs are typically 5-year rolling programmes which provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period ; the adoption of a TAP is a reserved function of the housing authority. The first three TAPs covered the periods 2000- 2 004, 2005–2008 and 2009–2013 , while the fourth and current round of TAPs were adopted in April 2014 and run until 2018.

While the specific data sought in the Question are not available in my Department in relation to the TAPs for 2000–2004 and 2005-2008, a detailed breakdown of the TAP targets and outputs for 2009-2013 is set out in Appendix IV of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee Annual Report 2013.  Similar data in relation to the current TAPs will be provided in the Annual Report 2018 i.e. upon completion of the current programmes. The Annual Reports up to 2013 are available on my Department’s website at the link provided below; the Reports for 2014 and 2015 are currently being finalised and will be similarly published as soon as possible .

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