Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I take an interest in all matters concerning the well-being of children. I am particularly conscious of the plight of vulnerable groups, including Traveller children, who we are committed to supporting.

The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government has informed me that housing authorities are responsible for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers, as well as the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes in their areas.

I am conscious that to date, just €1.729 million of the €5.5 million allocated for Traveller accommodation for 2016 has been drawn down. However, it is usual that the bulk of capital-related expenditure for Traveller-specific accommodation occurs in the last quarter of the year, having regard to lead-in times for planning, design and construction of capital projects. To ensure maximum expenditure and delivery of accommodation, local authorities submit quarterly profiles of expenditure to the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. In this regard, I am assured expenditure during 2016 is being closely monitored by that Department. Contact is ongoing with every relevant local authority to ensure drawdown is maximised. I will work with my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, to ensure this capital funding is utilised to the full.

Current funding for accommodation-related supports operates in tandem with the capital programme. Current funding of €4.3 million is being provided in 2016. Over €3.2 million has been recouped to local authorities in 2016 to date, of which €0.943 million was self-funded by local authorities from surplus local property tax receipts. A similar level of current funding will be provided in 2017.

I am pleased to note that capital funding of €9 million is being provided for Traveller-specific accommodation in 2017, an increase of €3.5 million, 64%, on the 2016 allocation. This is the second consecutive year the Traveller accommodation capital budget has been increased. Included in this is provision to assist local authorities with the costs of capital works arising from the fire safety review of Traveller-specific accommodation.

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