Traveller group welcomes move to withdraw accommodation funding from local authorities

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said underspend on Traveller accommodation by local councils was a 'regular occurrence'.

One of Cork's most prominent Traveller rights organisations has welcomed moves to remove the allocating of funding for Traveller accommodation from local authorities after a new report shows consistent under-spend of budgets set aside for that purpose. 

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said underspend on Traveller accommodation by local councils was a "regular occurrence", adding: "Some local authorities are regularly underperforming."

Earlier this year, it emerged that nine local authorities had yet to spend any of their allocated Traveller accommodation funds, including Cork County Council. 

Cork City and Limerick City had drawn down the most funding for Traveller accommodation this year to date, at €1,448,220 and €880,400 respectively.

The idea of a separate body overseeing the provision of funding has been given a broad welcome, including by the Cork Traveller Women's Network. 

Its coordinator, Bridget Carmody, said the Covid-19 pandemic created fresh problems and that the lack of suitable accommodation had been a longstanding issue.

"I just think I welcome another organisation from outside [taking it on] – it's obvious that the City Council are having difficulties spending the money for so long, why not have another organisation that is willing to spend the money and draw it down?" she said. "It can't do any harm at this stage." 

Ms Carmody – who works with the local authority on the Traveller Consultative Committee – stressed that she did not believe Cork City Council was entirely responsible for issues with Traveller accommodation, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic, and said there were issues over the supply of land, high demand and in some cases, outside objections.

However, she said members of the Travelling community also faced difficulties, including accessing the council's Choice-based Letting (CBL) system due to lack of internet access. She said some areas are still in need of Portaloos. 

"I don't think it is prioritised in the same way," she said. As to the historic underspend around the country, she said: "It's not from the want of asking the questions."

She said there was a "huge accommodation crisis in the Traveller Community" and this had been exacerbated by Covid-19.