Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 October 2017
271. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he has instructed Galway City Council as a relevant housing authority under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998 to amend or replace its accommodation programme for the purpose of addressing the Traveller accommodation crisis in the city. [45454/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra272. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the action his Department will take in circumstances in which a local authority does not meet its responsibilities as set out in the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. [45455/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 272 together.
In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, 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. These are five-year rolling programmes, with the current programme running from 2014 to 2018, which provide a road map for housing authority investment priorities over the period. 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.
The Act also requires housing authorities to review their TAPs at least once in each three-year period, and to make any amendment to the programme following this review within seven months. Housing authorities were therefore required to carry out a review of the current round of TAPs no later than 31 December 2016, and all authorities did so. Following their review, Galway City Council has informed my Department that they adopted an amended TAP in September 2017.
