374. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the full-year cost of the Traveller Accommodation Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67162/26]

The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas.

Since 2020, new arrangements are in place for the disbursement of funding whereby it is open to all local authorities to apply for and draw down funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department. The Traveller-specific accommodation capital budget has been fully drawn down by local authorities in the six-year period 2020-2025, amounting to almost €125 million capital expenditure. In addition, over €37 million was spent through current expenditure in the same period.

In 2026, the allocation for capital funding for Traveller accommodation is €26 million and current funding is €8 million.