Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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372. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make the necessary changes to the configuration of homeless services which creates a strict division between Dublin and Wicklow in view of the close relationship between the towns of Dn Laoghaire and Bray. [44675/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The regionalisation of homelessness services follows ministerial directions, made in 2010 under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, on the establishment and membership of the Joint Homeless Consultative Fora and Management Groups. These regional fora are based on the statutory local government regions, with the internal division of the Border region into North East and North West regions. Under these arrangements Dun Laoghaire is in the Dublin Region while Bray is in the d-East Region.

The regional approach is considered more appropriate as it helps to bring a more strategic perspective to bear on action to address homelessness, including avoidance of over-concentration of homelessness services in certain centres and promoting appropriate regional availability of services, consistent with need. It does not however impinge on responsibilities of housing authorities arising under the Housing Act 1988. In addition, and in accordance with Section 40 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, a housing authority may consult any housing authority in the adjoining administrative area during the preparation of its draft homelessness action plan.