Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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633. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding allocated and drawn down by all local authorities for Traveller accommodation in 2016 and to date in 2017; and his plans for improving the drawdown of local authorities in 2018 as a result of the funding increase announced in budget 2018. [49197/17]

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. 

The current round of TAPs were adopted in 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.  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.

Housing authorities submit funding proposals for individual Traveller-specific projects and developments on an annual basis, which are assessed on a case-by-case basis in my Department in advance of allocations being made.  In addition, further funding may be considered by my Department throughout the year, also on a case by case basis, in the light of progress across the programme generally. 

Accordingly, the 2018 funding allocations will be finalised early in the New Year, and on a case-by-case basis as funding proposals are received throughout the year.  There will be regular contact between my Department and those housing authorities who receive allocations in order to try to ensure maximum progress and drawdown.  If it becomes clear that allocations or part thereof may be unspent, then those allocations will be diverted to alternative projects and developments. 

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 Programmes and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. This commitment was underpinned in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provided for the commissioning by the Housing Agency, on behalf of my Department, of an expert, independent review of capital and current funding for Traveller-specific accommodation for the period 2000 to date, having regard to the targets contained in the local authority TAPs and actual units delivered, the current status of the accommodation funded and the funding provided for accommodation maintenance and other supports.

This report was finalised and submitted to the National Traveller Accommodation Committee (NTACC) for consideration at its meeting on 28 August 2017.  The NTACC is a statutorily-appointed Committee, comprising key stakeholders, including Traveller representative groups, to advise the Minister with responsibility in relation to Traveller accommodation matters.  On foot of its considerations of the report, the NTACC collectively agreed to advise me to establish an Expert Group to examine and make recommendations on issues regarding Traveller accommodation policy, strategy and implementation.  This is in keeping with the Programme for Partnership Government and I have agreed to proceed with the establishment of this Expert Group. 

I have also agreed that a review of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 should be part of the work of the Expert Group.  The composition, terms of reference and methodology of this Expert Group are currently being formulated with a view to it being in place as soon as possible. 

The amount of funding allocated and drawn down by all Local Authorities for Traveller accommodation in 2016 and to-date in 2017 is set out in the Table.