Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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76. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the moneys set aside from the public purse annually for the past ten years per local authority in relation to the Traveller accommodation programme; the amount drawn down by each of the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15698/24]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, 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.

Following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and related supports of Traveller-specific accommodation a new allocation process was implemented from 2020. My Department ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities. Instead, 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. Full spend of the Traveller accommodation budget has been achieved for the past 4 years, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The following tables outline the allocation and draw-down for each local authority in each of the years 2014-2024 (to date).

Local Authority Capital allocation and draw-down 2014-2019

Local Authority Capital draw-down 2020-2024