Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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130. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when funds held in the disbursement fund under the Dormant Accounts Fund will be distributed for the benefit of addressing social, economic or educational disadvantage or assisting persons with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38460/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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Under the Dormant Accounts Fund legislation a Disbursement Scheme is prepared at least every three years. This sets out the objectives to be achieved by making disbursements from the account, and the strategies for achieving these objectives. Then, to give effect to the Disbursement Scheme, Action Plans must be prepared, at least once a year. These Action Plans contain details of programmes and projects to be funded under the Disbursement Scheme. They set out the maximum amount proposed for disbursement in relation to each programme or project during the period to which the Action Plan relates. Measures approved for funding in any Action Plan must, in the first instance, be funded from the Vote of the Department or agency concerned. The expenditure incurred in implementing an approved measure is then reimbursed from the Dormant Accounts Fund, rendering the measure Exchequer neutral. The Disbursement Schemes and Action Plans are available on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/c376c9-dormant-accounts-fund/

The majority of measures approved in an Action Plan progress in that year, subject to the voted expenditure of each Department allowing for the measure to progress. It is also important to note that measures approved in an annual action plan may progress over a number of years and the allocations provided for can be disbursed from the fund over that period. As such, funds held within the disbursement fund are utilized on an ongoing basis. The utilization of funds has increased in recent years and total disbursements in 2020 stood at €93.5 million, which included €50 million in once off Covid-19 supports. Measures under the 2021 Action Plan are currently being progressed, and the Action Plan for 2022 will be published in the final quarter of 2021.