Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a matter of priority for Government, specifically for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, and that is why a most comprehensive housing programme, including dealing with sleeping rough and homelessness in all its forms, has been central to what we are trying to do. This programme has serious backing from Government with over €5 billion on the table for the years ahead. That involves emergency shelters, expanded Housing First programmes, acquiring vacant housing, the returning to habitable use of voided units, exits from homelessness and so on. Additional emergency accommodation is being brought on stream in the Dublin region during the winter months. The Minister and the Government, as well as everybody else, would like to see that there is nobody on the streets this Christmas, as was achieved last year. Another 200 emergency beds are being provided for homeless people on the streets, bringing the number to 1,800. Given that the Dublin Region Homeless Executive estimates that there are approximately 115 rough sleepers, the additional bed spaces, coupled with the Housing First programme, will bring about an improvement in the situation here.

Deputy Ryan is aware that the Housing First programme means that for complex cases the services necessary to give them the opportunity to be able to live in a home are put around them. That will provide permanent, stable and supportive housing to long-term homeless individuals and thus reduce their reliance on emergency accommodation at any one time.

Under the Minister's programme, it is intended to triple the Housing First units in Dublin from 100 to 300. This has been very successful in other countries and is now something that is being implemented here with very beneficial results. The Housing Agency will acquire 1,600 vacant housing units in the period ahead.

Along with the provision of stable housing, health care services have a particular role to play in looking after homeless people. The Government has committed to providing that by way of allocating an extra €2 million to the HSE for these services in 2016 and a commitment to treble that to €6 million for 2017 and 2018. That means that those individuals will be able to receive a high level of support for their needs. They can access the range of health services and supports they require while living in the supported temporary accommodation or in long-term accommodation. Of that €2 million, €450,000 was given to the Peter McVerry Trust to support temporary accommodation on Charlemont Street for a further 10 beds. Some €450,000 was also allocated to Crosscare St. Mary's of Dorset Street, and €200,000 was allocated to Sophia Housing long-term accommodation on Seán McDermott Street, which is specifically aimed at focusing on homeless couples with complex needs. That additional funding will also provide four extra care staff there.

The programme for Government commits to step-down facilities after drug rehabilitation. That additional funding will also enhance GP services and so on. There is a great deal going on. I am sure that the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, would be happy to tell Deputy Ryan of the full range of initiatives and the progress that is being made in this area.

See this speech in context