Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
255. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding that is available to Tipperary County Council for housing for members of the Traveller community; the funding that has been made available to County Tipperary under Traveller accommodation programmes in the past five years; the amount that has been spent by the council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25344/21]
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.
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 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.
The breakdown of funding allocated and drawn-down by Tipperary County Council over the past 5 years is outlined in the table below.
|
Allocation |
Drawdown |
Allocation |
Drawdown |
Allocation |
Drawdown |
Allocation |
Drawdown |
Drawdown |
|
2016 |
2016 |
2017 |
2017 |
2018 |
2018 |
2019 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
€900,000 |
€1,399,370 |
€327,492 |
€399,337 |
€25,655 |
€42,003 |
€25,655 |
€0 |
€156,731 |
