Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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649. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government due to the increasing number of homeless persons, if he will ensure access to all necessary supports, such as housing support, clinical support, and support towards community re-integration in order prevent persons from losing their tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36386/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, 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. The HSE are responsible for the provision of healthcare supports to the homeless while the Department of Social Protection oversees issues relating to social exclusion.

A range of measures are being taken to address homelessness by securing a supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government's target of ending involuntary long-term homelessness. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness(May 2014) and in the Action Plan to Address Homelessness(December 2014). Progress in implementing these plans is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plans and progress reports are available on my Department's website at the following link:

These Plans represent a whole-of-Government approach to dealing with homelessness and the implementation of measures identified in these plans is being overseen by a group of senior officials drawn from key State agencies concerned including my Department, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Health Service Executive, Tusla the Child and Family Agency, the Irish Prison Service and housing authorities.

Funding from my Department for emergency accommodation and homeless services is provided to housing authorities on a regional basis under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. In Budget 2016 I have secured funding of €70 million for these purposes - an increase of 32% on the 2015 allocation of €53 million and a 55% increase on the 2014 allocation of €45 million.

The Department of Social Protection plays a key role with regard to income maintenance for homeless people; under the social welfare system homeless people have entitlement to the full range of social welfare schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance, subject to the normal qualifying conditions. The Department of Social Protection, including through its Homeless Persons Unit and Asylum Seekers & New Communities Unit in Dublin, works closely with local authorities, Government agencies and the non-governmental sector in assisting homeless persons to access private rented accommodation. Furthermore Rent Supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals with the scheme currently supporting approximately 63,800 people at a cost of over €298 million in 2015, with over 15,300 tenancies awarded this year. In view of the difficulties experienced by persons as a result of the limited supply in the private rented market, the Department of Social Protection has implemented a range of preventative measures assisting some 4,200 rent supplement households throughout the country to retain their accommodation. The Department, in conjunction with Threshold, operates a special Protocol in the Dublin and Cork areas where supply issues are particularly acute, with plans to extend this arrangement to Galway City; of the 4,200 cases supported some 1,350 were supported following intervention under the Protocol. Also, under the Exceptional Needs Payments scheme assistance may be provided towards rent deposits or rent in advance;over 1,960 payments have issued to date in 2015 at a cost of almost €1.1 million.