Éamon Ó Cuív challenges caravan replacement scheme for travellers
Éamon Ó Cuív raised concern in the Dáil about travellers in halting sites living in substandard caravans and criticised the limited Caravan Loan Scheme. He argued the scheme’s reliance on second-hand replacements is inadequate and called for a needs assessment and fully funded new trailers.
Problem outlined in the Dáil
Ó Cuív spoke on QPL from the floor of the Dáil, highlighting that many travellers in halting sites live in substandard trailers or caravans and that the current support is insufficient.
Criticism of the Caravan Loan Scheme
He said the Caravan Loan Scheme only provides second-hand caravans, is not based on assessed need, and called replacing units with second-hand trailers "penny wise and pound foolish." He argued that second-hand replacements do not meet the practical lifespan and needs of those living in halting sites.
Call for needs assessment and fully funded replacements
Ó Cuív urged an assessment of replacement needs for trailers in halting sites and proposed a scheme that would fully fund new replacements rather than supplying second-hand units.
Ministerial response and follow-up
A minister present acknowledged the point and said they would ask Minister O'Brien to respond directly. The minister agreed there was little point in buying second-hand trailers and committed to raising the issue and providing a direct reply, noting the matter had been raised on multiple occasions by Deputy O'Keefe.
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Minister, I regret I have to raise an issue that I have raised on the floor of the Dáil here on QPL many, many times and it is the issue of travellers in halting sites living in substandard trailers or caravans and there is a very limited pilot scheme called the Caravan Loan Scheme where a local authority is giving an allocation of caravans every year for replacement. Now that scheme only provides for replacement with second-hand caravans and it is not based on needs and what is actually urgently needed and it is very simple because it is quite a limited problem but it needs to be dealt with is an assessment of the need for replacement trailers for travellers living in halting sites and the scheme that would fully fund those and not fully fund new trailers. as opposed to second-hand trailers, because the life of a brand new trailer, if you check it out, if you are living in three or six, five days a year, is short. The idea of replacing it with second-hand is penny wise and pound foolish. Can you tell me if it is intended to introduce such a scheme and when that is going to happen? Yes, please. Thank you Deputy O'Keefe. I do not have the details myself here so I am going to ask Minister O'Brien to respond to you directly and I take your point. There is no point buying second-hand trailers, you need new replacements and I will raise it with him and I will ask him to reply to you directly. As you said you have raised this matter on a number of occasions so it is important that we get you an answer. Thank you.
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