Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2024
274. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to include Travellers living in trailers, caravans and/or mobile homes in retrofitting schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40333/24]
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.
From 2021, my Department rolled out pilot caravan loan schemes aimed at improving the quality of Traveller-specific accommodation through local authorities which have provided preferential loans to Travellers for the purchase of newer, higher quality caravans and mobile homes for use as their primary residence.
My Department completed a comprehensive review of the nationwide pilot Caravan Loan Scheme in 2024. Options for a national scheme are currently under consideration with the intention that a proposal for a further scheme will be brought forward later this year. Improving the energy efficiency of caravans will be addressed through ongoing replacement of older caravans.
