Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

Traveller-specific accommodation is focused primarily on the provision of group housing schemes and halting sites including the acquisition of properties and the provision of mobiles and caravans in certain circumstances. The timeline for the initiation, design, planning approval, tendering and contract management of Traveller-specific accommodation can take several years with the exception of the acquisition of properties and the provision of mobiles and caravans. Therefore, payments made from the Traveller-specific accommodation budget over the last year in respect of construction projects would not give a reliable indication of average costs, as they may not include all payments from initiation to completion in respect of a sufficient quantity of projects to provide a reliable average cost.

Average costs can be provided for 2021 in respect of the acquisition of homes and the provision of mobiles and caravans. Under the provision of completed acquisitions, the average cost in 2021 was almost €280,000. Under the provision of emergency mobiles/caravans the average cost to my Department was in the region of €11,000 in 2021. This represents 50% of the actual average cost as local authorities fund 50% of the cost under the emergency replacement scheme. Under the provision of mobiles/caravans provided during the Covid emergency response, my Department funded 100% of the costs and the average cost in 2021 was in the region of €33,000.