Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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729. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the allocation and the out-turn in expenditure for Traveller specific accommodation in the estimates for each year since 2008; the allocation for Traveller specific housing; and the amount approved for specific projects, in 2015, by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29688/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. Accommodation for Travellers is provided across a range of options including standard local authority housing which is financed from my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), Traveller-specific accommodation such as group housing and halting site bays and funded by means of 100% capital grant, private housing assisted by local authorities or voluntary housing bodies, private rented accommodation and through their own resources. It is open to Travellers to opt for any form of accommodation, including Traveller-specific accommodation, and local authority programmes are intended to reflect these preferences.

The capital allocations in respect of Traveller-specific accommodation over the period 2008 to 2015 and the amounts recouped up to 2014 are set out in the following table:

The 2015 capital allocations in respect of traveller specific accommodation issued to local authorities in May 2015. The bulk of the funding was allocated in respect of schemes already under construction, new schemes approved to commence construction in 2015 and to meet final balances on completed schemes. The balance of funding is towards projects that will be newly approved during 2015. Details of the 2015 allocations are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/Travellers/News/MainBody,41970,en.htm