Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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39. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to fund Traveller-specific accommodation in each of the years 2015 to 2020; and if he will provide details of the allocation of this funding. [29006/15]

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.

In 2014, local authorities adopted the fourth round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes, with the five-year rolling accommodation programmes running to 2018. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for traveller accommodation, on foot of proposals received from local authorities and subject to approval from my Department.

2015 capital allocations in respect of traveller specific accommodation have issued to local authorities. 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: . As funding is subject to the annual Estimates process, there are no forward annual allocations.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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40. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the funding for the Traveller accommodation programme since the beginning of the programme in 1999; the amounts allocated for each programme; the amounts allocated from the Central Fund to each local authority; the amounts drawn down by each local authority; the rationale for the changes in funding; his views on whether the programme is fit for purpose, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28990/15]

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.

The first three Traveller accommodation programmes covered the periods 2000-2004, 2005-2008 and 2009-2013. Local authorities adopted the fourth and current round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes in April 2014, with the five-year rolling accommodation programmes running from 2014 to 2018. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for traveller accommodation, on foot of proposals received from local authorities and subject to my Department's approval.

The capital allocations and amounts recouped in respect of Traveller-specific accommodation over the period 2009 to 2014 are set out in the table. Detailed information prior to 2009 is not readily available and will take time to compile; once available, the information will be forwarded to the Deputy.

The 2015 allocations totalling €4.3m in respect of Traveller-specific accommodation have issued to local authorities, comprising €3.89m Exchequer provision and €0.410m from Local Property Tax proceeds. 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:

The Traveller accommodation programme is achieving results. In the course of the first Traveller Accommodation Programme (2000-2004), some 1,371 additional Traveller families were provided with permanent, secure accommodation. The second Programme (2005-2008) resulted in 775 units of new and refurbished Traveller-specific accommodation, while also accommodating an additional 458 families in standard local authority housing. Over the period of t he third round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes (2009-2013), over 500 units of Traveller-specific accommodation were provided.

The improvement achieved is also evident from the data collected as part of the Annual Count of Travellers. In 1999, prior to the first Traveller Accommodation Programme, the Annual Count of Traveller families estimated that there was a total of 4,790 Traveller families in the State. Over 25% of these families were living on unauthorised sites. The 2014 Annual Count identified a total of 10,226 Traveller families in the State, of which approximately 4.35% were living on unauthorised sites, notwithstanding the large increase in the number of families overall since 1999.