Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

362. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the expenditure on Traveller cultural, educational and heritage projects each year since 2020, in tabular form. [28014/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Deputy will be aware, the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II 2024 - 2027 (NTRIS II) represents a whole of Government approach to bring about meaningful change and progress for the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. It brings Government Departments and Agencies together along with representatives of Traveller and Roma communities to focus on issues, which affect them most, in a structured way.

While my Department has responsibility for central coordination of the NTRIS, each relevant Department has its own budget and is responsible for the implementation of its own commitments that impact upon Travellers and Roma, including in relation to culture, education and heritage.

The funding for initiatives, for each year since 2020, specifically related to Traveller cultural, educational and heritage projects is presented in tabular form below.

The Deputy will appreciate that the expenditure for 2025 is not available yet. In terms of the overall funding allocation, my Department is providing €6.5 million in core funding to a number of Traveller and Roma organisations to progress actions under the NTRIS in 2025. This represents a 6% increase over the 2024 allocation. In addition, €1.795 million was secured from the Dormant Accounts Fund to support Traveller and Roma initiatives in 2025.

I should add that a component of the core funding of certain Traveller and Roma organisations is applied to actions related to culture, heritage or education. For example, the 14 local organisations that constitute the National Traveller Partnership utilise opportunities, in partnership with the Traveller community, to actively represent and promote Traveller culture and heritage at all levels of engagement, both within the Traveller community and the wider local geographical area, with local communities and services, and with national organisations and bodies.