Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
689. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied that the delivery of housing allocations for the Traveller community in County Clare is adequate; if he has followed up with Clare County Council in relation to the return of €2.2 million to his Department in unspent funds for Traveller accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15142/21]
View answerIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, 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 vast majority of Travellers live in standard housing. The allocations and recoupment profiles for capital funded Traveller accommodation projects are shaped by the local priorities, circumstances and project timelines as set out in the Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) prepared by local authorities, in this case Clare County Council, under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. Funding is recouped to local authorities on eligible expenditure incurred under these programmes. Since the beginning of its first TAP in the year 2000, Clare County Council has recouped some €26.5 million for Traveller accommodation,
Following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and related supports of Traveller specific accommodation a new allocation process was implemented for 2020. My Department has ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities. Instead, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department. My Department’s capital budget of €14.5m for Traveller-specific Accommodation was drawn down in full in 2020. Officials from my Department will continue to make regular contact with each local authority throughout 2021 to support and facilitate the development of effective Traveller accommodation projects.
