Finian McGrath
Question:286. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding housing and Travellers. [10830/14]
View answerTuesday, 4 March 2014
Questions (286)
Written answers
I refer to the reply to Question No. 140 of 22 January 2014, setting out the statutory position in relation to the assessment of Traveller accommodation needs and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes by local authorities aimed at meeting this need.
It is open to Travellers to opt for any form of accommodation, including Traveller-specific accommodation, and local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) are intended to reflect these preferences. Where Travellers opt for Traveller-specific accommodation, local authorities are required to reflect this in their TAPs. The Social Housing Needs Assessment 2013 shows that some 2% of households on housing waiting lists, amounting to 1,632 families, opted for Traveller-specific accommodation. The requirements of all those requiring Traveller-specific accommodation will fall to be addressed in the context of the new TAP’s for the period 2014 to 2018 which are currently being prepared by local authorities.
There is no evidence available to me to support the view that Traveller families are being forced to accept accommodation in the private rented sector. I understand that the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, the statutory committee which advises me on a range of issues in relation to Traveller accommodation, intends to commission research later this year in relation to the accommodation of Travellers in the private rented sector. It is anticipated that this study will provide substantive data regarding the experience of Travellers who are accommodated in the sector and will also inform future policy in this regard.
In the case of Traveller-specific accommodation, housing need can be met through the provision of new and refurbished units. It may be possible that the figures referred to in the attached correspondence relate to new units only. Significant progress has been made in the delivery of Traveller accommodation since the enactment of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998. More recently, since the adoption of the third round of TAPs in 2009, it is estimated that in excess of 450 units of Traveller-specific accommodation had been provided by end 2012, comprised of new and refurbished units. While data in respect of 2013 have yet to be finalised, it is estimated that an additional 40 units were completed in 2013. Details of the accommodation provided from 2009 – 2012 are available in the Annual Reports of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library and on my Department’s website www.environ.ie.
Question No. 287 answered with Question No. 253.