Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the average length of time homeless families with children spend in bed and breakfast accommodation; what is currently the longest length of time a family with children could expect to spend in bed and breakfast accommodation; and the number of families with children in Dublin who have been living in bed and breakfast accommodation for longer than one month. [5306/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are responsible for meeting the accommodation needs of homeless persons. It is consequently a matter for individual authorities to determine the level of bed and breakfast accommodation to be provided, having regard to the need for such accommodation within their areas. My Department does not have detailed information on the bed and breakfast arrangements applying to individual families. The further development and reorientation of services for the families will be taken forward in the context of a revised Government strategy on homelessness, to be prepared by my Department having regard to the independent review of the implementation of homeless strategies, which I published last week.

The need for particular focus on the development of long-term accommodation, as opposed to emergency accommodation such as bed and breakfast, is one of the main recommendations of the independent review. While the use of bed and breakfast accommodation is seen, at present, as essential for the provision of emergency accommodation, it is recognised that it is not suitable as a long-term solution and that its use should be phased out, particularly for families. I am concerned to ensure that high standards prevail in the operation of the sector and that it is used only as a short-term response to homelessness.

At the request of my Department, Dublin City Council, which is a major user of bed and breakfast accommodation, and the Homeless Agency are conducting an ongoing review of this type of accommodation. This has led to increased monitoring, improved co-ordination and better management practice within the Dublin area. The research report Planning for Children, published recently by the Homeless Agency, recommended the establishment and monitoring of length of stay targets for children in such accommodation.