Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

207. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the funding his Department allocated in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017 to Traveller specific initiatives and Traveller organisations around the country and specifically in County Wexford; if he has satisfied himself with the level of support his Department currently provides to cultural and heritage projects for the Traveller community; his plans to increase it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27358/17]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The total funding available to my Department in respect of Traveller and Roma initiatives for 2017 is €3,230,000, of which €1,350,000, in respect of funding for 14 Traveller community groups and national-level NGOs, transferred to my Department from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government on 1 January 2016. This was in addition to a sum of €550,000 which transferred to my Department from the Department of Social Protection (for 7 Special Initiative for Travellers projects) on 1 January 2015. My Department provided funding of €864,188 in 2015 and €2,103,830 in 2016 for Traveller specific initiatives.Details of the funding allocation in the years in question are set out in the Table below. Please note that the funding outlined for 2017 is up to current date.

As in previous years, my Department has made funding available to Traveller Interagency Groups and Community Groups for activities around Traveller Pride Week in 2017. Funding, averaging about €2,000 for each approved project, is available for suitable projects which celebrate Traveller Culture in local communities. The flagship event of Traveller Pride Week, the Traveller Pride Awards, is also sponsored by my Department.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has led a comprehensive consultation process to develop the new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, which I launched on 13 June 2017, to improve the situation for Travellers and Roma in Ireland. The new strategy includes actions in relation to cultural and heritage projects for the Traveller community. This is a positive step forward and demonstrates both the Government’s and my Department's commitment to supporting the Traveller community nationwide. Insofar as additional resources may be necessary for implementation of the new Inclusion Strategy, this is a matter for the relevant Departments as part of the annual Estimates process. I was successful in securing an additional €1 million for my own Department's work in this regard for 2017 and I will seek further resources as the need arises in future years.

My Department has an advisory group in place. The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy Steering Group was set up in 2015 after a review of existing Traveller and Roma consultation structures by my Department to monitor and assess the implementation of the Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy and is in line with the EU Framework for the Implementation of Roma Integration Strategies.