Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he plans to ensure that a proportion of any newly built or acquired social housing is given to those progressing out of homelessness. [28625/07]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The allocation of local authority housing is a matter for each housing authority in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities made under section 11 of the Housing Act 1988. Such schemes are required to provide that the housing authority may, from time to time, set aside, for persons of such category or categories as the authority may decide, a particular number or proportion of dwellings becoming available for letting. Where an authority sets aside dwellings, priority in the letting of those dwellings must be accorded to persons of that category. Social housing units provided by the voluntary housing sector are allocated by the voluntary body concerned in consultation with the local authority.

The need to ensure adequate accommodation for persons progressing out of homelessness is well recognised. A key focus and task of the Revised Government Strategy addressing Adult Homelessness, which is currently being finalised, will involve refocusing on the provision of accommodation in the social, voluntary and private rented housing sectors, exploiting the significant potential of the Rental Accommodation Scheme in this area and ensuring the availability of appropriate outreach and resettlement support. I consider that local circumstances and the needs of individual homeless people must be taken into account in delivering the optimum response in each case.