Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1299. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total monies paid out or committed by his Department to each local authority in respect of building social houses and apartments and home purchase for each of the years 2014 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20192/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The funding provided to local authorities in each of the years 2016 to 2023 for social housing build and acquisition is detailed in the attached table. My Department provides funding to local authorities on an ongoing basis as housing projects are progressed and claims fall due for payment in line with the relevant scheme conditions.

In respect of the years 2014 and 2015, the detailed breakdown is not readily available within my Department in line with reporting structures at that time, however, the total funding provided in 2014 and 2015 for social build and acquisition was €192m and €317m respectively.

In respect of 2024, the detailed examination of Housing expenditure at local authority level across all capital and current housing programmes is currently being finalised within my Department and will be available in due course.

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1300. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to increase the funding allocated to local authorities under the national preferential caravan loan scheme for travellers; if he is aware of the waiting lists faced by travellers needing a replacement caravan or mobile home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20212/25]

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1301. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to increase the funding allocated to a local authority (details supplied) to ensure that an individual waiting four years for a replacement mobile home under the national preferential caravan loan scheme for travellers is accommodated for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20213/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1300 and 1301 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.

The new Caravan Loan Scheme allows local authorities to offer preferential discounted loans to Travellers to purchase a caravan or trailer for use as their primary residence. Funding of €4 million is allocated towards the scheme in 2025 and similar levels of funding are expected to allocated annually subject to the annual budgetary and estimates process. The funding allocation across local authorities is based on the number of Traveller families residing on authorised and unauthorised halting sites within each local authority area, who have applied for accommodation to the local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to assess applications and allocate loans accordingly.

The Department is engaging with local authorities on an ongoing basis in order to ensure effective use of the allocated funding for the scheme in 2025.