Kerry County Council drew down over €430,000 specifically to fund traveller accommodation over the past five years. This was revealed following a parliamentary question by Aontú deputy Peadar Tóibín, who asked the Minister for Housing how much money each local authority had received since 2016.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s review of local authority traveller accommodation programmes says traveller homelessness is largely overlooked by local authorities. It also says local authorities do not factor in culture and identity for an effective response to traveller homelessness.
Minister of State Peter Burke says the department stopped allocating specific budgets to councils in 2020 for traveller accommodation. Instead, it's open for local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time.
Prior to this, Kerry County Council received its biggest allocation in recent years in 2016, when it received €255,730. During the period 2017-2020, the amounts drawn down ranged between €15,000 and €75,000.
Over the past five years, Kerry County Council received €437,000 to fund traveller accommodation. Minister Burke says the department will contact each local authority throughout 2021 to support and facilitate the development of traveller accommodation projects.
