Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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1995. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on the fund for assisting persons with disabilities move out of congregated settings; the amount that has been allocated to this fund annually to date in 2017; the amount that has been drawn down from this fund; the amount that has been allocated to the service reform fund for the same purpose; the amount that has been drawn down from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37555/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Ring-fenced funding of €10 million was made available in 2016 under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) to support the provision of accommodation for persons with disabilities transitioning from congregated settings. However, take-up was slow, with €2.1 million being approved that year towards accommodation in counties Donegal, Galway, Kildare and Offaly for 20 people who had moved out of congregated settings.

Given the slow take up in 2016, my Department is continuing to provide funding in 2017 and beyond to support accommodation for persons transitioning from congregated settings.

A “Call for Proposals” issued last month to local authorities requesting them to submit further CAS projects to advance the provision of accommodation for people with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on moving people with disability from a congregated setting into community based living. My Department will also be following up with the HSE to develop revised guidelines to support increased take-up of available CAS funding for this area of need, in the light of experience to date.

Under the Capital Assistance Scheme, funding of up to 100% is available to approved housing bodies towards the provision of accommodation for people with disabilities, the elderly and homeless. The scheme is administered by the local authorities and a provision of €66 million has been provided for the scheme in 2017.

 In relation to the Service Reform Fund, this is dealt with by my colleague, the Minister for Health.