Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 November 2022
185. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that €72 million in funding to provide Traveller accommodation was unspent from 2008 to 2019 (details supplied); and his plans to ensure this money is no longer going unspent. [57079/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 fifth round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) commenced in July 2019 covering the 5-year period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2024.
My Department ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities, as it was leading to underspends, and implemented a new allocation process following a review of arrangements for the disbursement of funding provision and related supports for Traveller-specific accommodation. Since 2020, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and draw down funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department.
