John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Heritage and Local Government if the target to end homelessness by the end of 2010 will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37525/10]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Heritage and Local Government the number of registered homeless adults in the State; the number registered on a local authority basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37440/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 69 together.

Action to address homelessness is a matter for the housing authorities and the HSE, which have statutory responsibility for providing accommodation and health care services for homeless persons. I have put in place a comprehensive range of measures to underpin the role of housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards achieving the ambitious objective of eliminating long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough, including an enhanced programme for procurement of accommodation. A new tenancy support system to help such persons live independently has also been put in place.

I recently approved €60 million for the purchase of accommodation to meet the needs of persons with specific categories of housing need, including persons moving out of temporary homeless accommodation. Over 100 of these units will provide long-term accommodation for such persons, and approved housing bodies have been asked to develop proposals for the further delivery of leased units in addition to accommodation approved under this initiative. My Department is also working closely with the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency and the Dublin local authorities, where the homelessness issue is most pronounced, to ensure that the drive to eliminate long-term homelessness is advanced as rapidly as possible. Taken together, these measures have the potential to make significant further progress towards reaching the target in the current year. The pace of progress is also dependent on the response of market interests, including property owners and financial institutions.

The number of homeless households that were assessed as eligible and in need of social housing support throughout the State, according to the 2008 housing needs assessment, is 1,394. A breakdown of this figure by household on a local authority basis is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. A more comprehensive survey, in March 2008, reported a total of 1,436 homeless households in Dublin. Some 708 households were recorded as residing in long-term and transitional accommodation, but it would be incorrect to regard all of these as homeless. This survey method was also used for the first time in Cork, Galway and Limerick in 2008. The results indicated a total of 767 homeless households in these centres. That figure also includes households in long-term and transitional accommodation, some of whom should not properly be regarded as homeless.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the Minister's personal interest in trying to rectify this situation but the Government will not achieve the target of eliminating homelessness by the end of the year. I have three questions for the Minister. With regard to his definition of homelessness, there is a difference between local authorities in terms of how they interpret the different definitions. Does the Minister plan to introduce a single definition? Most people would equate homelessness with a person not having accommodation in which to live from day to day. That should probably be the standard definition.

With regard to strategy, the HSE is involved in dealing with this matter as well as the Department. Are there plans to make a single Government agency ultimately responsible for dealing with homelessness? In terms of statistics, can the Minister confirm that there has been an increase in the number of people who are homeless as a result of the recession? How often are statistics compiled? As regards housing schemes, there was a target of providing 1,200 long-term lease homes for homeless people. That has not been achieved. Does the Minister have any plans to roll this out and, for example, use the CAS or RAS schemes to acquire these units?

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The definition of homelessness must be looked at in a number of ways. Many people associate homelessness with people who sleep rough on the streets in the capital and in other centres of population. The focus of the strategy is, of course, on that category to ensure that nobody would be obliged to sleep rough. It also focuses on the other category, people who are in temporary accommodation for a long time, ranging from six months to seven or eight years. There is another category of people whom it is probably unfair to categorise as homeless, that is, people who are in assisted living accommodation. They are not capable of living by themselves and probably will not be in the future. It is unfair and somewhat discriminatory to describe them as homeless. They should be identified as people who are living, if the accommodation is suitable, where they will live into the future through assisted living.

With regard to the strategy, I have made it clear to the housing authorities, approved bodies and others that the strategy should be their aspiration. Recall what happened in January this year. I am proud that the local authorities, approved bodies, outreach people and all others involved ensured that no homeless person in this country lost their life during the cold period and that nobody had to sleep rough. That was a great compliment to everybody involved. Across the water some 30 people died during the cold spell while hundreds died across Europe. Recently, I allocated a further €60 million towards acquiring 430 units. A total of 100 of those units are specifically identified for the homeless.

On the statistics-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Some other Deputies wish to put their questions. The Minister can add it to his next reply.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Information acquired under the Freedom of Information Act shows that last January the HSE-run homeless persons unit received over 5,000 calls for emergency housing. By July this figure had almost doubled to 9,300 calls. I agree that the Minister is familiar with this area but the real issue in dealing with homelessness is moving people from emergency housing to long-term, more sustainable living arrangements. In Dublin, 54% of people who are defined as homeless under the current definition are in emergency housing. Does the Minister recognise that the way to deal with homelessness in the long term is to move people from emergency housing into long-term, more independent and sustainable living accommodation? What type of investment is the Minister focusing on this area? Finally, does he believe the strategy set down in 2008 is meeting its targets or is the schedule falling behind?

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to identify the categories of homeless and long-term homeless. There will be homelessness and nobody can prevent that. It is happening on an ongoing basis for many reasons. I will not go through them in detail but Members will be aware that it arises as a result of family disputes, health problems, substance abuse and so forth. We are focusing on people who are more than six months in short-term accommodation. I am anxious to move these people on so they can build a new life. I have set out supportive measures for the local authorities and the approved bodies in that area. Not only have I provided €66 million in 2010 but I also recently approved €60 million. I have set up two support mechanisms. In Dublin, the Dublin Simon Community will deal with people who might need some assistance for the first six or 12 months to go into a home. I have set up another group in Galway under the COPE Galway, which got the tender to deal with the issue there.

Of course, I am dependent on the local authorities and the voluntary bodies to provide the units of accommodation. I am providing funds to purchase some of those.

I am pushing to reach the target. I have great faith in the Homeless Agency, local authorities and voluntary bodies and, at the end of the year, we will see what they have done on that figure. One of the encouraging figures is that up to October this year, we had signed up 724 tenancies. A great deal of good work has been done and whatever the difficulties in this work, the people at the coal face are putting their shoulder to the wheel and I will continue to work with them.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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With regard to the number of registered homeless adults in the State, is it correct that those who sleep rough cannot and will not be counted in the forthcoming census?

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I have no information to that effect. I would be amazed that anybody would be discriminated against in this way. I will have that checked.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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On a point of information-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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There is no such a thing. Allow the Minister of State to reply.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I am not aware that is the case but I will have that checked. It is difficult to accept that any person would be discriminated against in that way. I worked in the health service and people have entitlements, irrespective of where they are. A number of people will not take up accommodation for mental health reasons and so on. They should not find themselves not being counted. They are counted in the surveys sent to my office by the local authorities.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I would be grateful if the Minister of State would check that.

Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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In recognising the good work being done by the Department and local communities, does the Minister of State think it is wise to pursue a policy that does not have the support of local people and to force accommodation on communities that are not in full agreement with it, particularly where it is driven by an agency that is hostile towards those communities? Should the Minister of State not pursue a policy that has support because we will never solve this problem unless we have the support of local communities?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a general question on homelessness and does not relate to the specific questions. The Deputy might want to table a parliamentary question in this regard at some future date.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Many years ago I worked with the Dublin Health Authority and many people found it difficult to accept that I would relocate patients from the psychiatric service into communities. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. People who become homeless for whatever reason are entitled to be housed and to start new relationships. Communities that deal with organisations funded by my Department generally have discussions with the local authorities. I hope people understand that everybody is entitled to a home in this country and we aspire to that.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister of State confirm that the trend in homeless numbers is upwards as a result of the recession? With regard to the 724 tenancies that have been signed, what was the Government's target?

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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There was an indication in recent months that there has been increase in the n umber of non-nationals who are homeless, particularly in Dublin. I do not have the figures but that is the indication from the outreach and homeless agencies.

I will not have the figures on the tenancies until the end of the year but to date in 2010, 724 tenancies have been signed, which is excellent progress. Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.