Under the provisions of the Traveller Accommodation Act 1998, South Dublin County Council is required to prepare, adopt and implement a Traveller Accommodation Programme to meet the needs of the county’s indigenous Traveller Community, i.e. those families who have been resident in the county for at least three years prior to the adoption of South Dublin County Council’s Traveller Accommodation Programme.
Irish Travellers are identified (both by themselves and others) as people with a shared history, culture and traditions including, historically and nomadic way of life on the island of Ireland. The Traveller Accommodation Unit manages the allocation of all traveller specific accommodation provided under the Council’s Draft Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025-2029. Traveller Specific Accommodation includes:
- Group Housing Schemes
- Permanent and temporary halting sites
The Traveller Accommodation Unit is responsible for the day to day management of all halting sites. For a list of Traveller Specific Permanent Developments in SDCC, please see the Draft Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025-2029.
For Statistical information on Irish Travellers please see the Central Statistics Office- Census 2016
Frequently Asked Questions:
Finding accommodation:
How do I apply for Traveller Specific Accommodation?
How do I apply for standard social housing?
Who do I contact if I am Homeless?
How do I apply for medical priority?
Allocation:
How is Traveller accommodation allocated?
Tenants:
Who do I contact regarding repairs?
How do I apply for a Transfer?
Traveller representatives:
Who represents the Travelling Community?
What is the purpose of the Tallaght/Clondalkin Interagency Group for delivery of Traveller Services?
Other:
Who do I contact regarding illegal encampment in a public area?
Finding a home:
How do I apply for Traveller Specific Accommodation?
You must:
- Have a local connection to the South Dublin area – to check please see the South Dublin Area Map
- And
- Meet the requirements for social housing support – to check please see Am I eligible for Council Housing?
- Then:
- Fill in an application form
- And
- Return it to the Council’s Customer Care Counter in Tallaght or Clondalkin with all your needed documents. (A list of all documents needed is in the “Checklist for applicants” section of the application form.)
If you need assistance you can contact a member of the Traveller Accommodation Unit at 4149000 or email at cccounter@sdublincoco.ie
or contact the area appropriate Traveller group, a list of the Traveller groups is below.
How do I apply for standard social housing?
You must contact the Housing Allocation Section. For further details see 'Finding a Home' page.
Who do I contact if I am Homeless?
If you are:
- homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness
- And
- your last permanent address was in the South Dublin County Council area – to check please see the South Dublin Area Map
Contact the Homeless Service Unit directly at our Offices in County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24 or contact us at 01-414 9000. For more details please see, Homeless Services.
How do I apply for medical priority?
Fill in an application form, making sure to answer part 7 and return it with the below items:
- A Medical Consultant’s Certificate - specifying the nature of the medical condition or disability and noting whether the condition is degenerative.
- Occupational therapist’s report - in respect of any specific accommodation requirements.
Allocation:
How is Traveller accommodation allocated?
Unless you have overall priority, traveller accommodation is allocated on a time-on-list basis. This is based on the South Dublin County Council Allocation Scheme.
Tenants:
How do I pay my rent?
If you pay rent with a rent card, please see Rents. If you pay rent through an electricity card, it will be taken off your pre-paid card once the card is put on your meter.
Who do I contact regarding repairs?
Temporary or permanent halting sites - You must report any repairs to the site Caretaker or the Traveller Accommodation Unit at 01-4149000.
House - You must report any repairs to the Council’s Housing Maintenance & Repairs Section at 01-414 9000
For more details and a list of Tenant responsibility repairs, please see Maintenance and Repairs.
How do I apply for a Transfer?
Transfers –If you want to apply to go on a waiting list to transfer for the next available suitable accommodation. You should:
- Fill in a Transfer application form
- And
- Return it to, the Traveller Accommodation Unit by post or the Council’s Customer Care Counter in Tallaght or Clondalkin, with all needed documents.
For further information on whether or not you would be accepted onto the transfer list, please see Transfers.
Mutual Transfers – If you want to apply to swap accommodation with another tenant in South Dublin or another Local Authority or Voluntary Body as long as the other authority agrees. You should both:
- Fill in a Mutual transfer application form
- And
- Return it to, the Traveller Accommodation Unit by post or the Council’s Customer Care Counter in Tallaght or Clondalkin, with all needed documents.
For further information on whether or not you would be eligible for a mutual transfer please see Mutual Transfers.
Traveller representatives:
Who represents the Travelling Community?
The Traveller Accommodation Unit works with the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, which is made up of County Councillors, Travellers and Traveller Representatives as required under the Housing (Traveller) Accommodation Act 1998. This Committee advise the Council on all matters relating to travellers and in particular their housing needs.
Other agencies include:-
Irish Traveller Movement,
4/5 Eustace St,
Dublin 2.
Telephone: 01 6796577
Fax: 01 6796578
Email: info@itmtrav.ie
Website: https://itmtrav.ie
Pavee Point Pavee Point Travellers Centre,
46 North Great Charles Street,
Dublin 1.
Telephone: 01 8780255
Email: info@pavee.ie
Website: www.paveepoint.ie
Clondalkin Travellers Development Group,
Block 1, Clondalkin Enterprise Centre,
Neilstown Road,
Dublin 22.
Telephone: 01 4575124
Fax: 01 4573904
Email: ctdg@eicom.net
Tallaght Travellers CDP (Community Development Project),
12 Brookfield Court,
Brookfield Road,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24,
D24YW80
Telephone: (01) 461 0562
E-mail Contacts: Patrick Nevin – Manager Patricknevin@tallaghttravellerscdp.com
Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service
61 Great Strand Street
Dublin 1
Ireland
Tel: 01-8721094
Fax: 01-8721118
Email: info@exchangehouse.ie
Website: www.exchangehouse.ie
What is the purpose of the Tallaght/Clondalkin Interagency Group for delivery of Traveller Services?
The Tallaght/Clondalkin Interagency Group for delivery of Traveller Services is set up to co-ordinate services by all agencies that provide services to the Traveller Community. It includes representatives from South Dublin County Council, Housing Service Executive, Garda, Department of Education, Department of Social Protection and Co. Dublin Vocational Education Committee (VEC). South Dublin County Interagency Traveller Strategy sets out the aims and proposed actions of this group. In June 2017, the Department of Justice and Equality launched the the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, 2017-2021, this Inclusion Strategy is a cross-Departmental initiative to improve the lives of the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland.
Other
Who do I contact regarding illegal encampment?
Please notify the Traveller Accommodation Unit at 4149000 or email cccounter@sdublincoco.ie.
Please note: The Traveller Accommodation Unit only has responsibility for illegal encampment on public land. Please see SDCC Enforcement regarding illegal encampment on private land.
Who do I contact if I have any queries or questions?
You can contact the Traveller Accommodation Unit on 01 - 414 9000 or attend one of our face to face clinic meetings at the given place and time below. Note these meetings must be booked in advance with the Tallaght Traveller Development Group or the Clondalkin Traveller Development Group as per the desired clinic meeting location.
| Clinic Name | Address | Days Held | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clondalkin | Clondalkin Enterprise Centre, Neillstown Rd, Neillstown, Dublin 22 | every 2nd Wednesday of the month | 10am – 12 noon |
| Tallaght | 12 Brookfield Court, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24 | every 2nd Tuesday of the month | 10am – 12 noon |
