Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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678. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the commitments he has made to support the homeless in budget 2016 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36022/15]

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.

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, which is an increase of 32% on the 2015 allocation of €53 million and a 55% increase on the 2014 allocation of €45 million.

Also, in Budget 2016 I have secured an increase in the uplift available under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Homeless Pilot from 20% to 50%. The pilot has been in place in the four Dublin authorities since 2014, targeted at homeless households who qualify for social housing and are in homeless emergency accommodation. The intention of the pilot is to transition households from emergency accommodation to private rented accommodation under HAP. The pilot allowed for an uplift of 20% on the HAP rent limits and was targeted at those in emergency accommodation on or before 1 December 2014. The increased uplift to 50% will increase the competitiveness of HAP homeless households in the private rented market and increase their likelihood of transitioning. The effective eligibility date of 1 December 2014 has also been removed, thereby increasing the number of homeless households who can avail of the pilot.