Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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346. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government why the number of homeless children in Dublin has doubled in the past year; why he and his Government did not give this primary consideration in the recent budget by providing an immediate solution to the housing crisis that is affecting more than 1,000 children in Dublin, considering that Ireland signed up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992, an article of which states that it is the responsibility of the State to meet the basic needs of a child, including providing adequate shelter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37088/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed by Ireland in 1990 and ratified in 1992. It addresses rights and principles across a wide spectrum of areas – for example, education, health, justice and protection from violence. Housing is among areas referred to in terms of State Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, taking appropriate measures to assist parents and others responsible for the child to implement the right of the child to an adequate standard of living. The realisation of the Convention’s principles is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which comprises independent experts. Ireland is scheduled to attend before the Committee in January 2016. In that regard, the Committee has been provided with information on developments in Ireland regarding implementation of the Convention. In relation to the challenge of meeting housing needs, the Committee has been informed that the Irish Government has agreed that social housing will be prioritised in the budgetary process over the course of the Social Housing Strategy 2020.

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:

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; this is an increase of 32% on the 2015 allocation of approximately €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.