Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 4

Written Answers. - Traveller Accommodation.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

507 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the number and identity of councils which are in breach of regulations regarding traveller accommodation; and the measures he will be taking to ensure councils' compliance with their own plans to achieve the targets set. [21946/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

My Department has been concerned to have an adequate legislative and financial framework in place within which local authorities, voluntary bodies and Travellers may provide or be assisted in the provision of accommodation.

The framework for the provision of Traveller accommodation is set out in primary legislation, the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. Under that Act, each county and city council, borough council and the town councils of Bray and Dundalk were required to prepare, adopt and take any reasonable steps necessary to implement five-year Traveller accommodation programmes covering the period 2000 to 2004. All relevant local authorities adopted such programmes and are in the process of implementing them.

My Department continues to provide the necessary funding to meet the cost to local authorities of the provision of Traveller specific accommodation. Total expenditure under this accommodation capital programme during its first three years was €65.46 million. A further €30 million has been allocated in 2003 for Traveller specific accommodation.

This expenditure is in addition to the expenditure on standard local authority accommodation funded under my Department's local authority housing programme and housing provided by voluntary housing bodies and funded under my Department's voluntary housing schemes which was allocated to Travellers in this period.

My Department continues to liaise closely with local authorities in relation to the implementation of these programmes.