Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

112. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a copy of the report on the consultation that took place between Traveller organisations in Galway city and Galway county and the national directorate for fire and emergency management in advance of the production of their 2016 report on programme to review and enhance fire safety in local authority provided Traveller accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40271/16]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

113. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a copy of the audit and the results of the survey that took place in Traveller accommodation Galway city and Galway county by the national directorate for fire and emergency management in advance of the production of their 2016 report on programme to review and enhance fire safety in local authority provided Traveller accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40272/16]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

114. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the fire and safety training that has taken place in Traveller accommodation units or with Traveller organisations in Galway city and county in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40274/16]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 113 and 114 together.112, 113 , 114 together.

Following the tragic loss of life in Carrickmines on 10 October 2015, my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) was tasked with leading a Programme to Review Fire Safety in Local Authority Provided Traveller Accommodation. The objective of the review was to ensure that practical and appropriate fire safety measures, which contribute to preventing loss of life and serious injury in local authority Traveller accommodation, have been applied systematically across the country. Along with appraising fire safety against relevant standards, this included running a series of community fire safety initiatives, including fire safety awareness training, aimed at Traveller Organisations and persons interfacing with the Traveller community so that awareness of fire risk and fire safety is developed and maintained over the longer term.

Consultation with all stakeholders at both national and local level was seen as essential to generate confidence in the review process. Accordingly, from the outset, the NDFEM engaged with key stakeholders at national level. A representative National Steering Group (NSG) was established by the NDFEM to oversee the review process and to offer support in addressing identified issues. The NSG was made up of relevant stakeholders including Traveller community representatives, national level and local government representatives and independent monitors.

The NDFEM wrote to Local Authority Chief Executives on 3 December 2015 requesting that they proceed to undertake the review in accordance with the approach outlined in a suite of support documentation. The Project Initiation Document envisaged that there would be local engagement with Traveller Community representatives in each local authority area to assist in undertaking the review and implementing Community Fire Safety, mirroring the National Steering Group role; this was the process agreed to enable Traveller organisations in individual local authority areas to input to the review. It was suggested that this could be achieved either through adding fire safety to the role of an existing Consultative Committee or by convening an ad-hoc group with appropriate membership for the purpose of this Review.

The Programme to Review Fire Safety in Local Authority Traveller Accommodation has concluded. Local Authorities submitted reports to the NDFEM detailing the work that was undertaken as part of the review. This information was collated by the NDFEM resulting in the generation of the Report on the Programme to Review and Enhance Fire Safety in Local Authority Provided Traveller Accommodation, published on 21 September 2016. A copy of the report is available on my Department’s website at:

.

This report describes fire safety work which has taken place in Local Authority provided Traveller accommodation across the country up to 1 July 2016. In addition to the physical works, the report describes a parallel programme of community fire safety which has been undertaken incorporating training for key workers and engagement with community groups on fire safety awareness.

Information regarding the fire safety appraisals and the remedial work undertaken as part of the review, as well as information regarding any further fire safety enhancements carried out since 1 July 2016 and the fire and safety training that has taken place in Traveller accommodation units or with Traveller organisations, can be obtained directly from the relevant local authorities; in this case, Galway County Council and Galway City Council.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

115. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the stage at which the CENA pilot project for Galway is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40275/16]

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

Approved Housing Body (AHB) status was granted to CENA, Ireland’s first Traveller-led AHB, in 2013. As an AHB, CENA has signed up to the Voluntary Regulation Code for AHBs, which will allow them to play a significant role in the provision and management of accommodation for Travellers in the coming years.

My Department has committed to providing funding to CENA to advance two pilot capital projects in Offaly (a Group Housing Scheme) and Galway (a Halting Site) so that CENA can learn and gain valuable experience in delivering Taveller-specific accommodation. Pending statutory regulation of the sector, in order to be eligible for funding for future projects and schemes, CENA will be subject to the new Financial and Assessment Framework which will come into effect from 1 January 2017.

Regarding the pilot project in Galway, as part of Phase 1 of the Traveller Accommodation Plan (2014-2018), Galway City Council put forward proposals to develop a traveller specific halting site in the Ballybane area of the city. The report on the Phase 1 plans has now been considered by the Elected Members of the Council, following detailed discussions with area Councillors, Residents Associations and Traveller families in the community. A further assessment of the site, along with consultations with CENA, will now take place to allow this pilot project to move forward.