Written answers
Tuesday, 12 December 2023
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Traveller Accommodation
Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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392. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to confirm when a decision about supplying Dublin City Council with funding for the upgrade of the bays in Labre Park will be made; if he will acknowledge that this upgrade has been promised since the outbreak of Hepatitis A on the site in January 2021 and that after this outbreak in which numerous children and adults were hospitalised, the HSE and the Ombudsman for children were given a commitment that the work to address the poor living conditions would be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54629/23]
Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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393. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that although some work was carried out in Labre Park, half the site is still living in conditions akin to that experienced in developing countries and that this negates the work that has been carried out, as everyone living in Labre Park is still exposed to the risk of Hepatitis A and many other viruses; if he will outline the steps he will take in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54630/23]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 393 together.
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.
My Department is committed to supporting Dublin City Council in the redevelopment of Labre Park. In April 2016, a Stage 1 application for the redevelopment of Labre Park was submitted to my Department, and in September 2016, my Department granted approval for a budget provision of €8.7m. In July 2019, a Stage 2 application was received by my Department and approval was granted subsequently for increased overall funding of €13.2m and in December 2022, a revised Stage 2 application was received by my Department. In February 2023, further information requested by my Department was submitted by the local authority and subsequently in July 2023 my Department granted approval for an increased overall budget provision of €16.7m for the redevelopment of Labre Park.
My Department provided this funding approval for the redevelopment of accommodation at Labre Park to support the long-term strategy for this site to provide quality accommodation to the residents which will address the current conditions on the site.
Separately, my Department sought further information in relation to a funding application for temporary improvement works previously carried out in response to the Hepatitis A outbreak and a response is awaited from the local authority. In parallel, my Department is also considering a further application for funding for additional temporary works in the context of the overall funding approval of €16.7m issued for the redevelopment of Labre Park.
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