A new system for monitoring the activity of local authorities in relation to the implementation of their five-year Traveller accommodation programmes adopted under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, was introduced in January 2001. The most recent report relates to the period January to June 2002. The following tables provide the details of new units of Traveller specific accommodation completed in the first half of 2002 and the numbers of exist ing units of Traveller specific accommodation on which refurbishment work has been completed in the same period. In addition to Traveller specific accommodation, 102 units of standard accommodation have been provided for Traveller families, 69 of which are local authority houses and the balance provided under the single instance purchase scheme, the shared ownership scheme and houses purchased by Traveller families with the assistance of a new house grant and a special house purchase grant for Travellers. There are currently 17 projects under construction which will provide an additional 100 units of new Traveller specific accommodation. Eleven projects, providing for an additional 62 units of Traveller specific accommodation, have also been approved by my Department. Fifty units of Traveller specific accommodation are being refurbished and approval has been given for the refurbishment of a further 40 units.
Number of new units of Traveller specific accommodation provided
(January-June 2002)