Traveller Accommodation

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Questions (405, 408)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

405. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the State funding for the acquisition of housing for Traveller families to prevent families entering homelessness and to provide accommodation for families that cannot be provided for from standard social housing stock; when this funding was first introduced; and the amount of this funding that has been drawn down to date by local authority in tabular form. [53251/21]

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Mick Barry

Question:

408. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funds made available and drawn down for each local authority for the acquisition of housing for Traveller families as referred to in the draft combined fifth and sixth state report of Ireland to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on page 63 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53299/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Peter Burke)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 405 and 408 together.

My Department provides funding, on a case by case basis, for the acquisition of housing for Traveller families where suitable accommodation cannot be provided from the existing or newly constructed social housing stock. The amount of funding drawn down for this purpose and the local authority it was drawn down by, is presented below in tabular form below. This funding has been available to local authorities since Q4 2019.

Local Authority	Funds recouped for property acquisitions to accommodate Traveller families Q4 2019 - present
Fingal County Council	€404,117
Galway City Council	€687,774
Kildare County Council	€212,200
Laois County Council	€313,752
Leitrim County Council	€214,200
Limerick City and County Council	€462,663
Longford County Council	€278,460
Louth County Council	€253,324
Mayo County Council	€395,143
Meath County Council	€741,551
Offaly County Council	€338,298
Sligo County Council	€135,695
Total	€4,437,177

In addition, €822,460 in funding has been provided through the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) for Cena, a Traveller specific focussed, Approved Housing Body (AHB), from January 2021 to date.