Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the caravan loan scheme for Traveller families was extended nationwide; if this is based on the objective need to provide replacement caravans and new caravans for Travellers who either live in mobile homes or caravans already or due to family formation need a caravan loan now; if not, if there was a cap put on the number of caravan loan applications that could be approved by each local authority despite the fact that assessments have identified a much greater need than this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60031/22]

Peter 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 original pilot programme for the Caravan Loan Scheme in 2021 had insufficient applications to provide evidence for an enduring scheme. A circular issued from my Department to all local authorities on 18 July 2022 informing them of the commencement of the extended pilot Caravan Loan Scheme. The Scheme is to support the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation through local authorities providing preferential loans to Travellers to purchase their own caravan or mobile home for use as their primary residence. Loans may be advanced to an applicant assessed by the local authority as being in need of accommodation (either on the social housing waiting list or in need of an upgraded caravan or mobile as their principal residence) and not in a position to provide for same partially or fully from their own resources.

The extended pilot scheme is limited to the provision of up to 75 caravans or €3 million expenditure, whichever is the lessor, nationwide until the end of 2022. On completion of the pilot, my Department will review the operation of the pilot scheme with input from the local authorities and other stakeholders. A report will be prepared for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and options for an enduring scheme will be considered at the conclusion of this process.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of cases raised by the Ombudsman with his Department in relation to Travellers living in very poor mobile homes or caravans in the past five years; the response by his Department to these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60032/22]

Peter 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 Office of the Ombudsman deals with complaints about how local authorities carry out their executive functions. The condition of the accommodation provided for Travellers is a responsibility of each local authority under its Traveller Accommodation Programme. The Office of the Ombudsman raises cases with the local authority concerned. No cases have been raised with my Department. The Ombudsman's casebook provides summaries of complaints, both upheld and not upheld, which are available on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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214. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if Galway City Council was instructed by his Department that it could only grant three caravan loans in 2022 despite a long-standing objective assessment that there is an immediate need for more than 20 such loans; if he intends rescinding this restriction to meet all proven demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60033/22]

Peter 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 pilot Caravan Loan Scheme was introduced to support the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation through local authorities to provide preferential loans to Travellers to purchase their own caravan or mobile home for use as their primary residence. A circular issued from my Department to all local authorities on 18 July 2022 informing them of the extended nationwide pilot Caravan Loan Scheme.

The pilot scheme is limited to the provision of up to 75 caravans or €3 million, whichever is the lessor, across all local authorities, until the end of 2022.

My Department has supported proposals from Galway City Council for all applications submitted to date by the Local Authority and will continue to engage with the local authority for the duration of the pilot.

On completion of the pilot, my Department will review the operation of the pilot scheme with input from the local authorities and other stakeholders. A report will be prepared for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and options for an enduring scheme will be considered at the conclusion of this process.