Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of homeless persons in Dublin city and nationally; the plans and budgets in place to resolve this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48844/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The extent of homelessness in the Dublin region, where numbers are most pronounced, was reviewed and updated using the now fully operational Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS) and crosschecked against each of the Dublin local authorities’ housing management data systems to give an accurate figure of the known homeless population in Dublin. Following extensive cross checking and quality control to remove duplications and ensure accuracy of all data entries, the confirmed extent of homelessness in the Dublin region as at September 2011 was 1,891 persons. PASS, which commenced operation in the Dublin region in 2011, is being extended nationally on a phased basis with work currently underway in other regions. The PASS system will in future provide good quality, timely, data on homelessness nationally as an evidence base for all homelessness services.

The Housing Agency’s Housing Needs Assessment 2008 and 2011 reports break down the categories of housing need, including in respect of homelessness, for all 88 housing authorities nationwide. These are available on my Department’s website at .

This statutory assessment of housing need, carried out every three years by all housing authorities, only counts homeless persons where an application has been made to a housing authority.

On 6 September 2012, the CSO published its special Census report, Homeless Persons in Ireland and it indicated that 3,808 persons were either sleeping rough or in accommodation designated for the homeless on the night of 10 April 2011. The rough sleeper count was 64, with 59 of those people located in Dublin. It is not tolerable that anyone should sleep on the streets but it is important that the homeless figures released are not confused with the number of people sleeping rough. The vast majority of people classified in the CSO's report as homeless are in long-term or emergency accommodation.

Government policy envisages a move away from the traditional bed and breakfast accommodation with the emphasis on housing authorities adopting a housing led approach. This will reduce the amount of time spent in homeless services, in particular bed and breakfast accommodation, eliminate the need to sleep rough and place prevention at the forefront of the delivery of services.

I intend to issue a policy statement on homelessness shortly. That statement will take account of demands on existing housing and will assess how best to continue providing services in a manner consistent with the elimination of existing homelessness and to ensure more effective prevention strategies. I will be indicating what I expect from housing authorities and other stakeholders in accelerating progress towards realising the ambition of eliminating involuntary long-term homelessness.

My Department’s current funding provision for the running costs of homeless accommodation and related services for 2012 is €50 million, which, together with 10% provided from housing authorities’ own resources, brings the total available funding to €55.55 million in 2012. This level of funding means that there will be no reduction in the provision of essential frontline support services.