Traveller accommodation projects in pipeline

Cavan is among four county councils nationally not to have drawn down any funding so far in 2024 to provide accommodation locally for Travellers.

However, it has been revealed to the Celt that the local authority has three such projects in the pipeline, with applications for support funds expected to be made before year end.

The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides supports to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

The practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities ceased in 2020 when a new system was introduced whereby all local authorities had the ability to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year. Cavan is one of just four local authorities, to date in 2024, along with Cork County, and neighbouring Leitrim and Monaghan, not to have draw down any funds.

Nationally, more than €7.7M has been drawn down by county councils for Traveller specific accommodation projects. Since 2020, Cavan has drawn down €231,800, including €518 in 2021, the single lowest sum sought by a council in the near four-year period.

The council applied for and received €100,552 last year.

By contrast, Monaghan County Council drew down €32,974 in 2023; Leitrim €303,842; Longford €493,458, and Meath €2,291,155.

With reference to 2024, a spokesperson for Cavan County Council confirmed to this newspaper: “No funding has been claimed to date.”

They added though that the Council is “currently working” on tender documents for three different projects and that funding these “will be applied for before end of year”.