Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the applications to the Dormant Accounts Fund in 2017; the amount of funding disbursed; the number of projects and initiatives supported through the fund in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1220/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The legislation governing the Dormant Accounts Funds provides a framework for the disbursement of funds for measures targeted at socially, economically and educationally disadvantage people, and people with a disability. The funding is allocated through a three-year Disbursement Scheme, underpinned by annual Action Plans which set out specific programmes to be funded each year.  

My Department coordinates the preparation of the Disbursement Scheme and the Annual Action Plans across Government.

The Dormant Account Action Plan for 2017 was published by my Department in July 2017. The Plan allocated €40.4 million to 40 different measures across a range of Government Departments and agencies.  Full details of the measures are contained in the Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan which is available on my Department’s website.

Monies in the Dormant Accounts Fund are managed by the National Treasury Management Agency, and requests for the draw-down of funds in respect of individual measures are made by the relevant Government Departments directly to the Agency.  While the final draw-down information for 2017 is still being finalised, I understand that total disbursements from the Fund in 2017 were in the region of €16 million.  This figure would include draw-downs in respect of some measures which were approved prior to 2017, under previous Action Plans.

An Annual Report will be prepared by my Department on the measures supported through the Dormant Accounts Fund in 2017.