Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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214. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on local authorities not spending allocated funds for Traveller accommodation; the steps he will take to ensure that these funds are spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22757/17]

Damien English (Meath West, 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 (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.

Local authorities adopted the fourth and current round of TAPs in April 2014, with the five-year rolling 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.

Local authorities submit proposals for individual Traveller-specific projects and developments which are assessed on a case-by-case basis in my Department, in advance of allocations being made. The allocations and recoupment profiles for capital Traveller accommodation projects can vary across local authorities given the local priorities, circumstances and project timelines as set out in the TAPs. Funding is recouped to local authorities on eligible expenditure incurred and, where it is likely that an allocation to a local authority may be unspent or under-spent, my Department engages with local authorities to re-allocate the funding to another scheme in order to try to ensure that drawdown is maximised before year-end. I am anxious that local authorities make full use of the increased levels of capital funding for Traveller accommodation and my Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities in that regard.

In addition, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to establishing a special working group to audit the current delivery and implementation of local authorities' TAPs and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. This commitment has been underpinned in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provides for the commissioning by the Housing Agency of an expert, independent review of expenditure on, and delivery of, Traveller accommodation to underpin the work of the special working group.

The review, which has regard to the targets in the local authorities' TAPs, is due to be completed very shortly. It will provide factual information and this provide a key platform for the special working group to progress its work effectively. The working group will be established by the statutorily appointed National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC) immediately after completion of the review. I expect the working group to complete its work in an expeditious manner and, as provided for in the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, the NTACC may then advise me in relation to any appropriate measures for improving the provision and management of accommodation at local level.