Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 271: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on his efforts to assist South Dublin County Council, based in Tallaght, deal with the problem of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5134/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The second Dublin homeless action plan, Making it Home, 2004-2006, which was published by the Homeless Agency in July 2004, sets out actions and objectives for the four Dublin local authorities for this period. The main elements of the south Dublin plan, drafted by the local authority and agreed by South Dublin County Council and its local homeless forum, are: the effective operation of the homeless forum; appropriate information, advice and referral and placement services; provision of additional units of accommodation for homeless households; appropriate allocation of local authority housing; and, adequate provision for health and welfare needs of homeless households.

Some 90% of the cost of funding the accommodation-related costs is recouped to the council by my Department. The recoupment of care-related costs is a matter for the Department of Health and Children.

The Government is committed to continuing to support local statutory and voluntary bodies in tackling the issue of homelessness. My Department's expenditure for the recoupment to local authorities of 90% of the cost of providing accommodation and related services for homeless persons in 2004 was €45.73 million. This brings to €185.88 million the total expenditure for this purpose since 2000. In the same period, €3.6 million was recouped to South Dublin County Council, including over €510,000 in 2004.

Details of the funding available for the recoupment of expenditure on accommodation and related homeless services will be published shortly in the revised Estimates for Public Services 2005.