Written answers
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Homeless Accommodation Funding
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if will set out in tabular form the funds allocated by his Department to county councils (details supplied) for the purpose of combatting homelessness in each year since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52037/13]
Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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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. Details of the funding provided by my Department, under Section 10, to housing authorities in the counties of Kildare, Meath, Louth and Wicklow in the years 2009 to 2012 are set out in the table below.
| COUNTY | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| € | € | € | € | |
| KILDARE | €338,510 | €392,477 | €319,467 | €477,953 |
| MEATH | €355,820 | €339,458 | €208,588 | €196,941 |
| LOUTH | €1,186,469 | € 935,874 | €908,358 | €900,308 |
| WICKLOW | €191,469 | €174,907 | €169,610 | €164,252 |
In 2013 Section 10 funding is being provided to housing authorities on a regional basis. An allocation of €811,275 is available to the Mid-East Region which comprises counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, while an allocation of €879,963 is available to the North East Region which includes counties Louth, Cavan and Monaghan.
Paul Newsome
Posted on 5 Dec 2013 10:41 pm (Report this comment)
That allocation to Co. Wicklow in 2012 of €164,252 is not sufficient to buy even one of the still vastly over-priced houses for those lingering on housing lists in the County.
Would it not be better for the State to allocate any houses and apartments across the County in the possession of NAMA/The State, which lie empty, idle and deteriorating so ordinary Wicklow citizens would have an affordable home they can call their own. Then they might be able to raise their families in dignity, albeit still in virtual poverty?
Paul Newsome.