Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding that was provided to the Simon Community and other organisations for emergency services for the homeless in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and the amount that will be provided in 2012. [33666/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities and the purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.

My Department does not fund any service directly but recoups the local authorities 90% of the cost of the service provided with an additional 10% coming from the local authorities own resources. Funding recouped by my Department to local authorities in each of the years from 2007 to 2010 and to date in 2011 for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services is as follows:

(* recoupment to date out of total 2011 Estimates provision of €53.413 million)

Up to 50 different organisations provide emergency services throughout the country. The Simon Communities, Focus Ireland, Novas, St. Vincent de Paul, the De Paul Trust, the Salvation Army and Crosscare, who have built up the services over the years, receive the bulk of the funding that goes to the voluntary sector providers and details of the 90% funding recouped to the local authorities in respect of these organisations are outlined in the table below. The HSE also provides funding to these organisations in respect of health and social care services for homeless persons.

The level of Exchequer funding to be provided in 2012 will be determined as part of the Estimates process currently underway.