The Minister of State for Housing has said his department needs to look at the reasons why budget allocations for Traveller accommodation are not being fully utilised by local authorities.
Damien English was speaking at the Irish Traveller Movement's annual conference in Galway.
There are now close to 4,500 Traveller families living in overcrowded halting sites and housing units around the country.
A total of €12 million has been provided by the Department of Housing for Traveller-specific accommodation in 2018, an increase of €3m on the previous year.
However, the Irish Traveller Movement says many local authorities are failing to deliver on housing because they are not spending all of the money allocated to them.
In his opening address to conference, Mr English said he would address the underspend by local authorities on accommodation for Travellers.
"As we are all aware, there is need for greater delivery of Traveller-specific accommodation. It is major concern to me that my own Department has not expended its budget in this in recent years, particularly given the demand for accommodation from the Traveller community.
"Over the past ten years, from 2008 to 2017, my department has recouped in excess of €105m to local authorities from a capital budget of €156.8m. This represents a 67% drawdown on capital funding by local authorities collectively."
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Traveller spokespersons at the conference called for what they describe as "culturally appropriate" accommodation, namely halting sites or group housing schemes where large extended families live together.
Under the 1998 Traveller Accommodation Act local authorities are obliged to build halting sites and group housing schemes.
Bridgie Casey is an accommodation officer for the Traveller Support Group. She said Travellers have a right to a home like everyone else, but said it should be a home that keeps their identity intact.
She called on the minister to make local authorities accountable.
Speakers at the conference called for a commitment to providing properly designed halting sites and housing schemes with modern facilities.
Travellers on the Headford Road in Galway say living conditions are unacceptable.
The Department of Housing has appointed an expert group to look at the accommodation crisis for Travellers and make recommendations going forward.
