Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 476: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether it is possible to provide a sufficient level of emergency accommodation here when there is no definitive statistical evidence on the number of people who are in need of emergency accommodation being collected; his plans to request local authorities to record the number of people seeking emergency accommodation from now on and report back to his Department; if he plans to request voluntary agencies in that sector to record the number of people seeking emergency accommodation from now on and submit a report on this to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4768/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Housing authorities are legally responsible for meeting the accommodation needs of homeless people. It is, accordingly, the responsibility of the individual housing authorities to determine the level of emergency accommodation to be provided, having regard to the need for such accommodation within their areas.

My Department is currently working in partnership with the Homeless Agency and the National Homeless Consultative Committee on the development of an integrated national homelessness data system which is intended to provide comprehensive information on the use of homeless services. Use of this system will be a condition for receipt of State funding for all homeless services.