Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
642. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the length of time it took to complete the four-stage and single-stage approval process for all Traveller-specific accommodation projects completed in 2023 and 2024, by halting site bays and group housing schemes, and by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5951/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra643. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a report of expenditure on Traveller accommodation, per county and accommodation type for 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5952/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra644. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update regarding Traveller accommodation from the quarterly pipeline report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5953/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Question Nos 642, 643 and 644 together.
The 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 local 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 Traveller-specific accommodation programme is primarily focused on the provision of new and refurbished halting sites, new and refurbished group housing, acquisitions and mobiles/caravans including the Caravan Loan Scheme.
Within this programme, the provision of new and refurbished halting sites and new and refurbished group housing schemes are advanced through the single stage and four stage capital approval processes. Details of such projects completed in 2023 and 2024, by halting site and group housing scheme and by local authority area, including the date of application and the date of Departmental approval, are set out in the attached table.
The capital drawdown on Traveller-specific accommodation in 2024, by local authority and accommodation type, which are in addition to the full range of social housing supports that are also available to Travellers such as wider social housing and HAP etc., is set out in the attached tables.
The Traveller Accommodation Programmes 2025-2029, adopted by each local authority, set out the pipeline targets for delivering on Traveller accommodation and are published on their respective websites.
