Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government

Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised)

5:10 pm

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has raised a number of issues.

In response to her suggestion that local authorities adopt a strategic approach and the fact that certain local authorities have longer waiting lists, I said the same earlier about a number of local authorities, such as those in Dublin and Cork and the commuting counties around Dublin. We have specific issues in Galway, Waterford and Limerick as well as in major towns. One learns something new every day, but the Deputy will be surprised to learn that some of the major towns around Ireland have specific issues. Departmental analysis has been carried out and we have heat-maps with a lot of detail.

As I said in my earlier reply to Deputy Cowen, some local authorities require a different mix of housing. How we address the matter will depend on what stage some of them have reached and, therefore, we need flexibility, but the Deputy can be assured we will address the matter. We will announce the allocation in a few weeks' time.

I am glad Deputy Catherine Murphy raised the issue of homelessness. She was the first Deputy to do so. The community welfare officers are doing a lot of good work and it must be acknowledged that their intervention mechanisms are working. I accept that they are not the be all and end all, but they are targeting certain families and ensuring that they can remain in their homes.

As regards homeless in the greater Dublin area, analysis has shown that the actions we took before Christmas were successful. To be fair to the three Deputies opposite, they were part of the process and I took their comments on board. However, we now see that there is a pull towards Dublin in the services that are being provided. I can assure Deputies that we are looking at other ways and resources that we can utilise to deal further with the issue of homelessness for both rough sleepers and homeless families. Families are a priority for me, including how quickly we can get units for them and turn them around. I have made commitments in that regard. I do not want to be dealing with NIMBY syndrome, although there will always be a bit of it. Let us call a spade a spade. We will make the hard decisions and will get the units in place for families in particular.

The Deputy referred to statistical analysis. One cannot be absolute about it, because some local authorities do things in different ways. Our analysis shows the difference between housing need, which is 89,000, and specific issues concerning homelessness. In November 2014, there were 168 rough sleepers in Dublin. In December 2014, emergency accommodation nationally was 2,858, while the figure for Dublin was 1,868. We have undertaken analysis but are constantly examining how we can refine data coming through from local authorities in order to create a consistent approach and categorise the people concerned.

I appreciate the Deputy's analysis regarding the HAP. It is a necessity that it works in order that people can avoid the poverty trap, and the 30-hour period is a critical issue in that respect. We have already spoken about simplifying the bureaucracy around the scheme and we are examining that matter.

The Deputy also referred to staffing ratios and waiting lists, and I wish to give an assurance on this point. I have spoken to almost every local authority in the country. In addition, together with the Ministers of State, Deputies Paudie Coffey and Ann Phelan, we have visited many chief executives, particularly in priority areas. Local authority staffing issues are a priority for us, including in the Deputies' own local authorities. If staff are required for any specific housing issues, this will be addressed if it is not already being addressed at the moment. Some 300 extra jobs in local authorities have already been sanctioned to deliver the social housing strategy.

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