Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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806. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the allocation for Traveller accommodation in 2017; the amount of funding drawn down from this budget to date; and the amount his Department expects to draw down by the end of 2017. [32367/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, 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. 

In 2014, local authorities adopted the fourth round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes, 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 the Department for Traveller accommodation, on foot of proposals received from local authorities and subject to approval from my Department. 

Capital funding of €9m for Traveller-specific accommodation is being provided in 2017, an increase of €3.5m (64% increase) on the 2016 allocation.  This is the third consecutive year that the Traveller Accommodation capital budget has been increased.  Based on claims received, over €800,000 has been recouped to Local Authorities to date in 2017.  Experience in previous years suggests that capital spend on traveller accommodation projects is generally more heavily concentrated in the second half of the year.

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 2017.  Over €1.9m has been recouped to local authorities in 2017 to date.

My Department will seek to ensure, as far as possible, that the 2017 funding is fully utilised.  Expenditure during the year is closely monitored and where potential savings are identified, funding will be reallocated to other schemes.