Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
505. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the funding set aside for Traveller accommodation which has been drawn down in each of the past five years; and the amount drawn down by each local authority during that time period in tabular form. [1012/22]
View answerThe Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that 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 the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
A new allocation process was implemented for 2020, following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and related supports of Traveller specific accommodation. Instead of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities, 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. Full capital spend of the Traveller accommodation budget has been achieved in both 2020 and 2021.
The following table outlines the capital allocation-v-drawdown for each local authority in each of the years 2017-2021.
