Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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514. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends expanding the scheme immediately to cover all Traveller families living in caravans of eight years old or more, in view of the demand for the pilot caravan loan scheme from Traveller families, some of whom live in caravans and mobiles that are over 20 years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63753/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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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 concluded at the end of 2022 and my Department will now review the operation of the pilot scheme with input from the local authorities and other stakeholders. A report will be prepared and options for an enduring scheme will be considered at the conclusion of this process.