Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2022
213. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cases raised by the Ombudsman with his Department in relation to Travellers living in very poor mobile homes or caravans in the past five years; the response by his Department to these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60032/22]
View answerThe Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that 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 Act 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.
The Office of the Ombudsman deals with complaints about how local authorities carry out their executive functions. The condition of the accommodation provided for Travellers is a responsibility of each local authority under its Traveller Accommodation Programme. The Office of the Ombudsman raises cases with the local authority concerned. No cases have been raised with my Department. The Ombudsman's casebook provides summaries of complaints, both upheld and not upheld, which are available on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman.
