108. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to include an assessment on difficulties Travellers experience in accessing and retaining open housing applications in the new NTRIS currently being considered, given that this is an outstanding issue in the current NTRIS since 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26667/24]

115. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to include an assessment on difficulties Travellers experience in accessing and retaining open housing applications in the new NTRIS currently being considered; if he will acknowledge that this is an outstanding issue in the current NTRIS since 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26398/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 115 together.

Work on developing the successor National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS II) is currently being finalised and my intention is to submit it to Cabinet shortly. The successor Strategy will represent the next step in a whole-of-Government and targeted approach to improving the lives of Travellers and Roma and to ensure their full inclusion in Irish life. Traveller and Roma organisations have been closely involved in the development of the new Strategy.

I fully expect accommodation to be a key theme under NTRIS II, as it was in the previous Strategy. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, actions under the Strategy relevant to any policy area will fall to be delivered by the Department that holds policy responsibility for that area. My Department has no policy or operational role in relation to housing applications by members of the Traveller community. Accordingly, I would advise the Deputy to raise any specific concerns in this regard with my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.