Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

127. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason he has not replied to e-mails of 3 October 2016, 17 October 2016, 11 November 2016 in respect of persons (details supplied) and a grant for a housing adaptation that requires approval of his Department. [39130/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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. It is my Department’s policy to provide permanent accommodation insofar as is possible, while at the same time respecting the nomadic tradition of the Traveller community. In that regard, a scheme of loans and grants for the purchase of caravans by Travellers was established by Circular TAU1/2000, underpinned by Section 25 of the 1998 Traveller Accommodation Act. This provision gives local authorities discretionary powers to provide loans to Traveller families for the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation, i.e. loans for caravans or sites for caravans, subject to terms and conditions specified by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

Cognisant of emergencies which arise from time to time which by their nature cannot be anticipated or planned for, my Department provides funding to local authorities of up to 50% of the cost of purchase of emergency replacement mobile homes.

With regard to the individual case referred to by the Deputy, due to the medical circumstances outlined in the Council’s proposals, my Department agreed, in this instance, to fund 50% of the purchase price of the mobile home for the family concerned on the condition that the Council pay the balance. The Council were notified of this decision by email on 6th October 2016. Any additional funding apart from what has already been approved is not a matter for my Department and the Council was advised that any additional financial requirement is a matter to be resolved between the Council and the tenant in question. A formal response to the Deputy’s representations on the matter will issue shortly from my Department.