Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 July 2014
490. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the list of cuts to Traveller specific supports (details supplied); his views on the seemingly disproportionate harshness of these cuts as the cut to expenditure in last year's budget was 4.5%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31185/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA key principle underlying my Department’s activities is that of enabling communities themselves to identify and address the social and economic needs of their own areas. There is a particular focus on supporting communities that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under threat. My Department continues to be responsible for a range of programmes and initiatives to support communities and disadvantaged groups, including the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) which is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281m over that period. It is being implemented on a transitional basis for 2014 pending the rollout of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) from January 2015.
The objective of the LCDP is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government, and its agencies, and people in disadvantaged communities. It is a key tool of Government in providing supports for the 'harder to reach' in the most disadvantaged areas and communities. €47.707 million has been allocated to the LCDP for 2014, a reduction of €1 million or 2% on the 2013 allocation, the smallest reduction to the Programme since 2010. Pavee Point, the National Traveller Partnership and the National Traveller Women’s Forum are currently all in receipt of funding under the LCDP.
My Department also supports a number of Traveller projects under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). This funding scheme, which supports national organisations in the community and voluntary sector, aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding was advertised for applications earlier this year. Following Pobal’s assessment of applications on behalf of my Department, my predecessor approved 55 applications for funding under the scheme for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. A number of Traveller community groups were successful in applying for funding under the scheme, including Pavee Point, the National Traveller Women’s Forum and the Irish Traveller Movement.
In the case of housing capital funding for Traveller-specific accommodation, the allocation for 2014 is €3 million. While this represents a decrease of €1 million compared to 2013, I do not expect that this will have a major impact on activity in 2014 as the Traveller Accommodation Programmes 2009 to 2013 came to an end in December 2013. This capital funding stream is used to provide 100% funding to housing authorities for the provision and maintenance of Traveller-specific accommodation and, in doing so, is designed to meet the specific and distinct accommodation needs of the Traveller community, such as halting sites and group housing schemes. In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, new multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes, which will run for the 5-year period to the end of 2018, will be introduced in 2014. As a result, 2014 is a transition year with a strong emphasis on the planning of programmes for the period up to the end of 2018. Based on the current status of approved Traveller-specific projects and considering that the new programmes were put in place in April, this is considered sufficient to meet current requirements. If it transpires that the 2014 provision is insufficient, I will review the position with a view to augmenting the capital provision, if possible.
It should be recognised that the vast majority of Traveller families have opted for, and are accommodated in, standard housing provided by local authorities and financed from my Department’s capital allocations for social housing, or in private rented accommodation with Rent Supplement support. It is open to Travellers to opt for any form of accommodation and local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes are intended to reflect these preferences.
My Department also provides funding for accommodation-related supports and social inclusion measures for Travellers which operate in tandem with the capital programme. An allocation of €3.25 million is being provided in 2014, which is in line with 2013 funding levels.
Responsibility for the other issues referred to are outside the remit of my Department.
