Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
1738. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of Travellers who have been asked to move by a local authority from their accommodation due to fire safety concerns in 2016 and 2017. [55106/17]
View answerIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, 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. This responsibility includes carrying out the necessary health and safety checks on individual traveller halting sites, and where appropriate, taking necessary action to remedy the situation.
My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing traveller accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. However, my Department has no role in the direct management and maintenance of sites and does not hold the specific information requested.
