
James Stokes, local election candidate for the Newbridge LEA, said he welcomes the spend but more needs to be done.
Over €1.7m has been spent on traveller accommodation in Kildare over the past five years.
In 2018, Kildare's drawdown for traveller accommodation was €29,510.
The subsequent year saw a significant increase in accommodation spending, with drawdowns increasing to €360,231.
In 2020, during the height of the covid pandemic, drawdowns stood at €261,110.
The following year, 2021, drawdown figures remained relatively subdued at €32,588.
In 2022, however, the figure increased to €635,088.
In 2023, it stood at €416,518.
James Stokes, local election candidate for the Newbridge LEA, said he welcomes the spend but more needs to be done.
Speaking to Kfm, he reiterated calls for a traveller mental health strategy.
He believes spend on traveller mental health and accommodation is not being prioritised by the Government.