Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the caravan purchase loan scheme will be operational again in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26297/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department commenced a pilot Caravan Loan Scheme to improve access to traditional Traveller-specific accommodation options for Traveller families in July 2021 for a trial period of 6 months, following consultation with stakeholders including the local authorities, the National Traveller MABS and the Traveller representative organisations.

The participating local authorities are Cork City Council, Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council and Limerick City and County Council. The maximum funding available under the pilot Caravan Loan Scheme is €30,000 per loan. The terms of the Caravan Loan Scheme do not specify that units must be new or second hand, allowing the loan recipient the freedom to source a unit suitable to their needs.

My Department reviewed the operation of the pilot Caravan Loan Scheme and received approval from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to extend the pilot phase nationwide to all local authorities until the end of 2022. A circular will issue shortly to all local authorities on the extended pilot phase of the Caravan Loan Scheme.