Written answers

Thursday, 17 November 2022

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Traveller Accommodation

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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184. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will investigate the reason that South Dublin County Council did not build the housing promised to residents of Owendoher Haven Ballyboden, given that just over one-third of the annual budget for Traveller-specific accommodation had been spent up until August 2022 with SDCC listed as a local authority that had not drawn down any funding yet. [57078/22]

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that 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.

The Act provides that 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. It is therefore a matter for the local authority concerned, in this case South Dublin County Council, regarding the assessment and provision of accommodation for Travellers. Further information may be available from the local authority.

I wrote recently to all local authorities encouraging them to continue to seek funding from the €18 million budget provision for 2022 to ensure continued full spend of the budget to deliver the necessary provision and maintenance of Traveller-specific accommodation.

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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185. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason that €72 million in funding to provide Traveller accommodation was unspent from 2008 to 2019 (details supplied); and his plans to ensure this money is no longer going unspent. [57079/22]

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that 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.

The Act provides that 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. The fifth round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) commenced in July 2019 covering the 5-year period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2024.

My Department ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities, as it was leading to underspends, and implemented a new allocation process following a review of arrangements for the disbursement of funding provision and related supports for Traveller-specific accommodation. Since 2020, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and draw down funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department.

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