Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. Tusla stated, “While the agency does not have a direct role in the provision of housing accommodation for homeless families, we provide a range of services". The Department of Children and Youth Affairs stated: “As members of the committee are aware, responsibility for addressing homelessness rests with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.”

Then the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government replied that it was important to note that the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is responsible for the provision of a national framework policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness. It stated that statutory responsibility lies with the housing authorities. There is one group missing in front of me today and that is the local authorities, because that is where the statutory responsibility lies. It is not until we see the presentation and read through it that we realise where it lies.

Deputy Neville asked some interesting questions. I do not intend to go back over them but I would like to know how often all these various Departments meet? In September 2017, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, established the homeless interagency group. We know he presented details of the group in 2018. Since the 2018 presentation, which was last June, how many times has the group met? I have no figures. The whole presentation, while excellent, is wordy. I do not have one figure to back up one thing. I am seeking a response to that question.