Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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481. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding allocated to each local authority specifically for Traveller accommodation in each of the past five years; the local authorities that received funding; the local authorities that returned portions of the funding; and the amount returned in each case by local authority. [21738/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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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.

The breakdown of funding requested, broken down by the amount allocated and that drawn down, by local authorities is outlined in the table below.  It should be noted that funds are held in the Department and recouped to local authorities on the basis of claims recieved.  Therefore, the return of funds from local authorities to my Department does not arise.