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14/02/2019
44% Traveller Accommodation Budget Underspend 'Unacceptable'
A 44% underspend in the traveller accommodation budget in 2018 has been described as "unacceptable", by Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin.
Deputy Ó Broin called on the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to explain "why he is allowing this repeated underspend to occur on his watch".
Deputy Ó Broin said: "The 2018 social housing delivery figures released yesterday indicated that 107 homes were provided under the Traveller Accommodation Programme at a cost of €6.8m.
"This is simply not good enough when you consider that the Traveller Accommodation Budget for 2018 was €12m. This represents an underspend of 44%.
"There was a similar underspend in 2017. Only €4.8m was spent out of a total allocation of €8.7m. The failure to deliver good quality traveller specific accommodation is unfortunately how we end up with tragedies like Carrickmines.
"While Sinn Féin welcomes the establishment of the working group that is reviewing the traveller accommodation programmes, Minister Murphy must explain why he is allowing this repeated underspend to occur on his watch and must take action now to ensure there is not a similar underspend in 2019.
"He must engage with the local authorities that are failing to invest in traveller accommodation and must intervene directly where they refuse to adequately fund traveller accommodation."
Deputy Ó Broin called on the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to explain "why he is allowing this repeated underspend to occur on his watch".
Deputy Ó Broin said: "The 2018 social housing delivery figures released yesterday indicated that 107 homes were provided under the Traveller Accommodation Programme at a cost of €6.8m.
"This is simply not good enough when you consider that the Traveller Accommodation Budget for 2018 was €12m. This represents an underspend of 44%.
"There was a similar underspend in 2017. Only €4.8m was spent out of a total allocation of €8.7m. The failure to deliver good quality traveller specific accommodation is unfortunately how we end up with tragedies like Carrickmines.
"While Sinn Féin welcomes the establishment of the working group that is reviewing the traveller accommodation programmes, Minister Murphy must explain why he is allowing this repeated underspend to occur on his watch and must take action now to ensure there is not a similar underspend in 2019.
"He must engage with the local authorities that are failing to invest in traveller accommodation and must intervene directly where they refuse to adequately fund traveller accommodation."
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