Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I express my sympathy and condolences to the family of the lady who passed away in Cork yesterday.

On the night of 7 November 2017, a total of 184 individuals were recorded as sleeping rough in Dublin. As I have said previously, no person should have to sleep rough on our streets or be without shelter at any time of the year.

At last September's housing summit, I emphasised the need for all housing authorities to have sufficient capacity in emergency accommodation and to have appropriate facilities in place for every person sleeping rough, on any night of the week. I also instructed the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, at that time, to set about ensuring the delivery of 200 additional permanent emergency beds by Christmas, in a range of new facilities and locations across the city. A total of 50 of the 200 permanent beds are now in place, and the remaining 150 emergency beds will be brought into use over the coming days, with all being in place by mid-December.

The people who use these facilities will have access to a range of health and welfare supports, which they would not have on the streets. Facilities like this will provide the individuals involved with some stability so that housing authorities and the HSE can work with them to create a pathway to exit homelessness into independent living.

As the weather becomes colder, my Department has also been working with local authorities to ensure that their cold weather initiatives are in place.  These arrangements ensure that additional temporary beds can be brought into use across a range of existing services and facilities for singles and couples who need them during periods of cold weather.

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