COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 13, 2017

QUESTION NO.17

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive if he has considered the recent findings of the Census in relation to the Travellers Community; if he proposes any actions in the matter and if he will make a statement.

REPLY:

Under Section 6 of the Traveller Accommodation Act 1998 and as amended by Section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, an Assessment of Needs was conducted by South Dublin County Council in April 2013. Staff from the Traveller Accommodation Unit visited all of the temporary and emergency sites and conducted interviews to determine preference for accommodation requirements.  Notices that the Assessment was being conducted were placed in the local and national press. Staff from the Traveller Accommodation Unit also followed up with site visits to engage with applicants who had applied previously but were not responding to the Housing Needs Assessment. Local Traveller Development Groups and Agencies involved in Traveller services were notified of the Assessment being conducted and requested to ensure that all families in touch with them were made aware of the process.

This Assessment formed the basis for the Council's Traveller Accommodation Programme 2014-2018.

In addition an annual count is carried out each November and this combined with the Assessment of Needs and the Traveller Accommodation Programme formulates our approach going forward.