Traveller accommodation programme approved

Cavan County Council aims to accommodate 39 Traveller families, with provision for seven more, through local authority housing services over the next four years.
At their recent monthly meeting the council heard that there was no need for a permanent or transient halting site in the county, identifed under the Traveller Accommodation Programme 2014-18, as approved by the elected members.
The Accommodation Programme seeks to address the current and future accommodation needs of the Travelling Community in the county, as well as their social, economic and cultural development.
The programme was drawn up with the support of elected members, the council executive and Bernard Joyce of the Irish Traveller Movement.
As of November, 2012, 161 traveller families were recorded as living in Cavan, 59 in social housing, 23 in group housing, 14 under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and 65 in private rented housing. As of 2013, 39 families were on the council’s housing list.
The programme, which received and considered submissions from the Irish Traveller Movement and Cavan Traveller Movement, will address the accommodation needs of Travellers up to the end of 2018.

Needs identified
Standard housing was the main need identified in the Assessment of Housing Accommodation 2013.
The former programme, which ran from 2009-13, estimated the need for 30 standard local authority houses for Travellers, however, the programme was called upon to provide accommodation for 37.
These included group housing, standard housing and assistance on the RAS, with the majority of travellers assisted in the Cavan area.
Up to 2018, The council expect to provide accommodation for up to 46 families.
The majority are to be located in the Cavan Town area, 27 in standard housing, two in standard or Traveller-specific housing and one in standard housing or RAS.
The provision for two families to move into the Bailieborough and Cootehill areas has been earmarked, one in Belturbet and four elsewhere around the county.
However, anecdotal evidence was recorded as a result of research carried out by the Cavan Traveller Movement which indicated that a number of applicants would opt for Traveller Specific Accommodation rather than Standard Housing as recorded in the recent assessment.
Assistance will also be given, where possible, towards private accommodation in the form of annuity loans, caravan loans and grants.
The majority of Travellers identified in the Assessment of Need by the committee are currently accommodated in private, rented accommodation.
Where possible the council says it will deliver specific tenancy training and support for Traveller families who are allocated houses and has employed two caretakers who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of Traveller specific accommodation, including Group Housing.