Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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345. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure the full Traveller accommodation budget for 2021 is utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4254/21]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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347. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure the full Traveller accommodation budget for 2021 is spent on new accommodation as opposed to refurbishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4256/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 347 together.

In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

Following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and related supports of Traveller specific accommodation a new allocation process was implemented for 2020. My Department has ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities. Instead, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department. My Department’s capital budget of €14.5m for Traveller Accommodation was drawn down in full in 2020. Officials from my Department will continue to make regular contact with each local authority throughout 2021 to support and facilitate the development of effective Traveller accommodation projects.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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346. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new units created in 2020 for Travellers; the way in which the 2020 Traveller accommodation budget was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4255/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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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 local authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

Traveller-specific projects and developments are focused on group housing schemes and halting sites. This includes meeting Traveller-specific housing needs through a range of mechanisms, including the provision of mobiles and caravans; the provision and refurbishment of halting sites; the provision, refurbishment and extension of group housing and the return to use of vacant group housing.

In 2020, the Traveller accommodation budget was spent on new group housing, refurbishment of existing halting sites and group housing, fire safety works on sites and acquisitions (where acquisition is the solution to a specific need identified).

Funding was also provided in 2020 in relation to Covid-19 mitigation and response measures. Works identified by local authorities included extra toilets or temporary sanitary blocks, running water, additional accommodation where overcrowding exists, site clean-ups and extra refuse collection, and additional units on-site or elsewhere as space permits in order to allow for self-isolation/quarantine. Many of these solutions have been, or are in the process of being, implemented on sites throughout the country and my Department has been very clear that these provisions will apply, where possible, to both authorised and unauthorised sites for the duration of the response to the pandemic.

The following table gives a breakdown of the number of new units provided in 2020. It does not however reflect the full extent of the work undertaken or expenditure incurred by local authorities in improving Traveller accommodation during 2020 in order to help prevent, limit and minimise the effects of the pandemic.

*7 housing units and 9 service units

** of which 43 were for self-isolation purposes

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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348. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps being taken to ensure the implementation of the report of the expert review group on Traveller accommodation prepared by an independent expert group on his behalf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4257/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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On the matter of the recommendations in the Traveller Accommodation Expert Review Report, there are 32 recommendations aimed at:

- addressing research deficiencies, including how information is gathered and used;

- removing any potential delays and obstacles in the planning system in terms of delivery;

- increasing resources and delivery capacity; and

- strengthening governance arrangements.

The recommendations have been categorised into separate streams reflecting recommendations that can be completed within my Department, recommendations that require the assistance of other Government Departments and Agencies and recommendations that will require the commission of further independent research.

My Department is progressing a number of short term recommendations and working groups are working on others. For example, a review has been concluded of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and refurbishment of Traveller specific accommodation and a new process implemented for the 2020 allocation of funding. Meetings have taken place with working groups within my Department and with other Government agencies and Departments.

Officials from my Department are reporting progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Group report at the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee meetings along with seeking input from them as major stakeholders.

In December 2020, I established a Programme Board to drive the consideration and implementation of recommendations contained in the Traveller Accommodation Expert Review report and the first meeting of the Programme Board will take place very shortly.