Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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176. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the expert group set up to review the effectiveness, implementation and operation of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 and the report completed by this expert group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46206/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Traveller Accommodation Expert Review Report has 32 recommendations which can be broken down into 4 categories which are 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.

A Programme Board been established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report and has agreed a work programme for 2021. Projects have set up to examine in detail the issues which need to be considered in respect of the recommendations which have been made.

Prior to the establishment of the Programme Board, my Department has been progressing a number of recommendations and consulting with and reporting on progress to the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee. 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.