Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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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.

Supporting accommodation for Traveller families is a key priority for the Government. Housing for All recognises the importance of addressing Traveller accommodation needs and commits to working with local authorities to improve the quantity and quality of Traveller-specific accommodation. My Department is also committed to support the ambition of local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) and grow the Traveller-specific accommodation pipeline.

Capital provision of €21 million will be made available in 2024 to provide funding for local authorities to deliver Traveller-specific accommodation including halting sites and group housing schemes. Full capital spend of the Traveller accommodation budget has been achieved for three consecutive years 2020, 2021 and 2022 totalling €51.1 million. Furthermore, full spend of the budget is anticipated this year.

Earlier this year my Department rolled out a pilot preferential Caravan Loan Scheme for Travellers which is for the provision of 80 caravans or €3.2 million and will operate until the end of March 2024.

A Programme Board, established in response to the Traveller Accommodation Expert Review report published in July 2019, continues to drive implementation of recommendations from the report.