Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1023.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding drawn down by each housing authority for Traveller accommodation in each of the past ten years, per housing authority; to indicate for each yearly figure the percentage that the drawn-down figure represents as to the total sum actually available to that housing authority that year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31065/24]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1024.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding for Traveller accommodation that was applied for by each housing authority in each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31066/24]

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.

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. 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 draw-down for each local authority in each of the years 2020-2024 (to date).

* To date

** Differences due to rounding

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1025.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the guidance that has been made available by him to housing authorities regarding the amount of Traveller accommodation funding they are entitled to apply for in each of the years 2020 to 2024; if there is a maximum figure per year; the criteria for decisions taken in response to such requests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31067/24]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, 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 issues a funding circular at the start of each year to local authorities that sets out the overall Exchequer provision available for Traveller-specific accommodation in the year including the criteria for applying for funding and applications from local authorities are considered accordingly.

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.