Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2022
214. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Galway City Council was instructed by his Department that it could only grant three caravan loans in 2022 despite a long-standing objective assessment that there is an immediate need for more than 20 such loans; if he intends rescinding this restriction to meet all proven demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60033/22]
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 pilot Caravan Loan Scheme was introduced to support the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation through local authorities to provide preferential loans to Travellers to purchase their own caravan or mobile home for use as their primary residence. A circular issued from my Department to all local authorities on 18 July 2022 informing them of the extended nationwide pilot Caravan Loan Scheme.The pilot scheme is limited to the provision of up to 75 caravans or €3 million, whichever is the lessor, across all local authorities, until the end of 2022.
My Department has supported proposals from Galway City Council for all applications submitted to date by the Local Authority and will continue to engage with the local authority for the duration of the pilot.
On completion of the pilot, my Department will review the operation of the pilot scheme with input from the local authorities and other stakeholders. A report will be prepared for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and options for an enduring scheme will be considered at the conclusion of this process.
