Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to Deputy Ó Cuív. He has re-emphasised the importance of needs analysis within local authorities to determine the level of demand. We issued guidelines in December 2023 relating to the preparation, adoption and implementation of the local authority TAP. The fifth round of the programme was adopted in 2019. That will run until the end of this year. What is really important for local authorities is that they comply with the guidelines issued by the Department and that they trust the process of how they assess the level of need in their area, be it Galway city or county, Mayo or across the country. That is important because local authorities need to continuously engage with the Traveller communities on the ground, but also ensure that the preparation, adoption and implementation of the new TAP programme from 2025 to 2029 will meet the current need and demand for delivery within each local authority. That will then form our capital programmes leading into the coming budgetary cycles. It is important that local authorities do this in a comprehensive manner.