Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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588. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of all aspects of his planning, including modular housing, to alleviate the number of families in emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42881/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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A range of measures are being taken to secure a ring-fenced 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 by the end of 2016. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness(May 2014). Progress in implementing these measures is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plan and progress reports are available on my Department's website at the following link:.

With regard to modular housing, the Government has approved the delivery of 500 units of modular housing for homeless families across Dublin. It is intended to have the first 150 units delivered as quickly as possible in the Dublin City Council administrative area, with the City Council acting as the contracting authority. The Council is aiming to secure the delivery of an initial fast-tracked 22 of these units before Christmas, with delivery of the remaining units commencing in late Q1 2016. A further 350 units will then be provided across the four local authorities in the Dublin region through a national procurement framework overseen by the Office for Government Procurement.

This programme of modular housing provision is being implemented to mitigate the issues associated with an increasing volume of homeless families accommodated in inappropriate commercial hotel arrangements. The units will provide emergency accommodation in the first instance, offering a greater level of stability while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support planning for access to all required services, including welfare, health and housing services.