Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
346. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new units created in 2020 for Travellers; the way in which the 2020 Traveller accommodation budget was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4255/21]
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. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist local authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
Traveller-specific projects and developments are focused on group housing schemes and halting sites. This includes meeting Traveller-specific housing needs through a range of mechanisms, including the provision of mobiles and caravans; the provision and refurbishment of halting sites; the provision, refurbishment and extension of group housing and the return to use of vacant group housing.
In 2020, the Traveller accommodation budget was spent on new group housing, refurbishment of existing halting sites and group housing, fire safety works on sites and acquisitions (where acquisition is the solution to a specific need identified).Funding was also provided in 2020 in relation to Covid-19 mitigation and response measures. Works identified by local authorities included extra toilets or temporary sanitary blocks, running water, additional accommodation where overcrowding exists, site clean-ups and extra refuse collection, and additional units on-site or elsewhere as space permits in order to allow for self-isolation/quarantine. Many of these solutions have been, or are in the process of being, implemented on sites throughout the country and my Department has been very clear that these provisions will apply, where possible, to both authorised and unauthorised sites for the duration of the response to the pandemic.
The following table gives a breakdown of the number of new units provided in 2020. It does not however reflect the full extent of the work undertaken or expenditure incurred by local authorities in improving Traveller accommodation during 2020 in order to help prevent, limit and minimise the effects of the pandemic.
|
Group Housing Scheme* |
16 |
|
Mobiles |
3 |
|
Acquisitions |
15 |
|
Covid-19 Mobiles** |
82 |
|
TOTAL |
116 |
*7 housing units and 9 service units
** of which 43 were for self-isolation purposes
