Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 to 214, inclusive, 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 ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities and implemented a new allocation process following a review of arrangements for the disbursement of funding provision and related supports for Traveller-specific accommodation. Since 2020, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department.

Capital funding drawdown by Tipperary County Council in 2023 for Traveller specific accommodation, broken down by category, is set out in the following table:

Tipperary County Council Capital Expenditure 2023 €

In addition, current funding, amounting to €387,275.49 was sought from Tipperary County Council and subsequently recouped by my Department in 2023.

Tipperary County Council had drawdown for one acquisition for Traveller accommodation in 2023.

My Department did not refuse any funding applications from Tipperary County Council for Traveller-specific accommodation acquisitions or Traveller-specific accommodation maintenance, repairs and upgrades in 2023.