Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has commented on the publication of a report by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR). The report reviews the local authorities’ current development plans and the associated Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs). 

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“The new report by the OPR made a number of key observations on the current development plans and the implementation of Traveller accommodation programmes. The review was conducted on foot of the Expert Review of which one of the recommendations is to review accommodation policies and objectives in statutory development plans.

“The report noted that while 94% of local authorities have Traveller-specific objectives in their development plans, only four development plans included maps to identify Traveller-specific accommodation.

“Furthermore, the report states that of the four development plans where mapping of Traveller-specific accommodation was included, only one showed mapping of potential future sites.

“The publication of this report is timely, and it will hopefully inform local authority members as work is ongoing on the new county development plans.

“The Joint Housing Committee will tomorrow be looking in more detail at these issues. We will hear from the City and County Managers Association, the Irish Traveller Movement and Minister of State at the Department of Housing Peter Burke. 

“The Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation has been published since July 2019. We need to see real movement in terms of the implementation of the recommendations of this important piece of work.”