COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF HOUSING SPC

Thursday, February 11, 2021

HEADED ITEM NO. 6

Traveller Accommodation Programme Update

The current Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) 2019-2024 was adopted by the Elected Members in July 2019 and outlined the Council’s approach to the provision of Traveller accommodation over the lifetime of the programme including:

Construction/Redevelopment:

The impact of Covid-related restrictions has significantly delayed progress on the critical consultation phases with Travellers on design issues relating the priority construction/redevelopment projects prior to progressing with Part 8 proposals for wider public consultation.

Existing Sites:

Three existing sites are planned to progress to Part 8 public consultation during 2021 for construction/redevelopment works as follows:

Oldcastle Park - With the agreement of the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, a Traveller-led consultation process was conducted by CENA (Culturally Appropriate Homes Limited), a Traveller-led Voluntary Accommodation Association, involving extensive engagement with residents of the existing Oldcastle Park site.  This engagement and the completion of the associated report were impacted by Covid but has resulted in a final report that explores the preferences of the existing families’ future accommodation needs in terms of location, accommodation type and family grouping preferences.  The final report will now form the basis for our Architectural Services team to develop a design proposal for re-development of the site that will seek to incorporate the consultation preferences.

Owendoher Haven – The Traveller Accommodation Unit and Architectural Services Department had previously engaged extensively with all the families from Owendoher Haven as well as various representatives on behalf of the residents on design proposals for the re-development of the site.  While feedback from these meetings was positive and all families separately appeared to be agreeable in principle to the proposed re-development plans, it did not prove possible to reach a final consensus on those preliminary designs during the consultation which then stalled due to the impact of Covid.  A recent meeting was held with the representatives of the families in January 2021 and the Traveller Accommodation Unit are now proposing the engagement of CENA to bring a conclusive resolution to the process to agree plans for redevelopment works that can then be brought to Part 8 public consultation forthwith.

Fonthill Road – an ongoing dialogue with residents of current temporary site at Fonthill Road and their representatives regarding proposals for the re-development of site to incorporate new Traveller accommodation in line with the longstanding Part 8 approval at this location has failed to produce agreement to proceed towards tender ( this a part 5 agreement no tender required). A meeting with the developers of the adjacent site took place in February 2021 and they are preparing a proposal to resolve the current impasse.  The Committee should note that the existing Part 8 may require amendment to reflect updated the family formations and revised accommodation preferences of the extended family grouping currently at this location.

New Accommodation:

Adamstown - Discussions are ongoing with developers/landowners in Adamstown to deliver the four required Traveller accommodation developments that are required within the SDZ and an initial development comprising six group homes has been identified to be progressed to planning.

Filling Casual Vacancies & Refurbishment/Extending Existing Accommodation

The filling of casual vacancies in existing Traveller accommodation including refurbishment and/or extension of existing accommodation forms a key part of meeting the identified accommodation needs of Travellers through the TAP.

Extensive refurbishment works were completed on 4 four-bedroom group homes (3 in Lynch’s Park & 1 in Daletree) and 3 bays complete with day unit (1 each in Belgard Park, Cherryfield and Kishogue) resulting in 7 new allocations.  Further works are ongoing and/or proposed on 1 additional four-bedroom group home (in Daletree) and 6 additional bays (all in Stocking Hill) that will allow 7 further allocations, potentially (subject to final agreement) including the relocation of residents of an existing emergency facility into permanent accommodation

An extension on medical priority grounds to an existing day unit in Kishogue is currently being procured.  In addition, two medical chalets have been provided for families (1 each in Belgard Park and Oldcastle Park) and with medical priority with a third such medical chalet (also in Oldcastle Park) is currently also being procured.

Nine Traveller households have also been provided with new mobile homes/caravans as a priority response to their circumstances that has significantly improved their accommodation circumstances in existing bays.

Allocation of Standard Social Housing

The allocation of standard social housing to Traveller households under the Traveller Accommodation Programme continues on an ongoing basis for those families whose stated preference is for such accommodation.  While specific data on standard housing allocations is not retained in relation to ethnicity and so the exact number of allocations to Traveller households cannot be quantified, it can be confirmed that 3 households from existing temporary Traveller accommodation have been allocated standard social housing while another family previously living at an unauthorised roadside encampment were also allocated standard social housing.  Our Traveller Accommodation Unit will continue to work with the Allocations section to progress allocations of standard housing to Traveller households as well as supporting Traveller households to move from homeless/emergency accommodation into HAP supported tenancies.