Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department's role in respect of homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.

Statutory responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons and related services rests with housing authorities. It is a matter for individual authorities to determine the level and category of accommodation to be included in their funding programmes. Emergency accommodation options may include hostel, bed-and-breakfast type accommodation and temporary supported arrangements.

The Government's homelessness policy statement, which was published by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, earlier this year emphasises a housing-led approach to homelessness. This is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to all forms of homelessness and it should reduce the amount of time spent in homeless services, especially emergency accommodation.

Homelessness is a complex phenomenon and measures to address it require an integrated approach across Government. The combined forum of the cross-departmental team on homelessness and national homelessness consultative committee provides an opportunity for all statutory and non-statutory stakeholders to discuss and consider appropriate approaches to tackling homelessness. The Health Service Executive and the Department of Health are represented on this forum.

As the lead authority for homelessness in the Dublin region, Dublin City Council works in partnership with a range of voluntary and statutory agencies to deliver services to people experiencing homelessness under the pathway to home model. The Dublin region has been implementing an integrated model of service provision to homeless people which includes supported temporary accommodation. More than 1,500 beds are provided nightly to homeless people in Dublin and of these approximately 80 beds have been provided under the current cold weather initiative.

The delivery of care, personal and health supports for recovering drug misusers is not the responsibility of my Department or housing authorities. It is a matter within the competence of the Health Service Executive.

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