COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 20, 2016

QUESTION NO.20

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the progress in making available the Traveller Caravan Loan Pilot.

REPLY:

At the request of the LTACC a sum of €100,000 was provided in this year's Estimates for the provision of a pilot Caravan Loan Scheme.

Following discussions with National Traveller Money Advice and Budgeting Service, a draft Caravan Loan scheme was drawn up.  This scheme proposed to make loans of up a maximun of €10,000 per applicant available, subject to an agreement to repay by way of signing up to Household Budget and at an interest rate of 2.5% on the loan. This scheme is in line with the Departments guideline for such schemes but has increased the maximun loan available. 

When it was proposed to make the scheme available the local Traveller Development Groups raised a number of concerns around the Loan Scheme.  The groups are now in the process of trying to arrange a meeting with between the Council, National Traveller MABS and the League of Credit Unions to ascertain if an alternative scheme can be provided.