Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

202. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will report on the drawdown of funds to local authorities designated for accommodation for the Travelling community; if he has made contact with local authorities that have not used their full allocation; if he will take action to ensure accommodation needs for the Travelling community are met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33583/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 (TAPs) 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 capital allocation in respect in respect of Traveller-specific accommodation for 2016 is €5.5 million, of which almost €1.73 million has been recouped to date.Typically, the bulk of expenditure 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 my Department. These are monitored against actual expenditure and if a difficulty is identified in drawing down funding allocated for a particular scheme during the year, it is reallocated to another scheme. Expenditure during 2016 is being closely monitored and my Department is currently contacting every relevant local authority in order to ensure that drawdown is maximised.

My Department also provides current funding for accommodation-related supports to operate in tandem with the capital programme. Current funding of €4.3m is being provided in 2016. Over €3.2m has been recouped to local authorities in 2016 to date, of which €0.943m was self-funded by local authorities from surplus Local Property Tax receipts. A similar level of current funding will be provided in 2017.

Capital funding of €9m is being provided for Traveller-specific accommodation in 2017, an increase of €3.5m (64%) on the 2016 allocation.  This is the second consecutive year that 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.

As regards the delivery of Traveller-specific accommodation and associated funding, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to establishing a special working group to audit the current delivery and implementation of local authorities’ Traveller Accommodation Plans and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. This commitment has been underpinned in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provides for the commissioning by the Housing Agency of an expert, independent review of Traveller accommodation expenditure and delivery of units, having regard to the targets contained in the local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes. The review has commenced and is due to be completed in quarter two of 2017. The review will provide factual information and a key platform for the special working group to progress its work effectively. The working group will be established as soon as possible after completion of the review.