Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has a breakdown by category of how the 5,963 persons who are homeless became so, for example, the number who are homeless as a result of a rent increase, a home repossession, the termination of a tenancy or the break-up of a relationship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14695/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A homelessness report is published on my Department’s website on a monthly basis providing details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The information contained in these reports is provided by housing authorities and is produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS) - the national information and management system for homeless services that are overseen by housing authorities. The most recent report confirms that 4,068 adult individuals used State-funded emergency accommodation nationally during a week in April 2016. These monthly reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

Homelessness is a complex phenomenon which is usually the result of a number of inter-related issues, often including complex personal problems, mental health, addiction, relationship breakdown, family issues, domestic violence, financial loss, economic insecurity, rent arrears, tenancy issues, anti-social behaviour, the vulnerability of migrants, etc. The myriad of issues contributing to homelessness mean that it is of limited value to attempt to classify incidence of homeless presentation to a single causative factor. It is generally accepted that the supply shortage across the housing sector, which in turn is a result of the economic collapse and the associated contraction in the construction sector, has been a driving force behind the increased number of families and individuals presenting as homelessness in recent times.

Research commissioned by the Housing Agency, Family Experiences of Pathways into Homelessness, which was published in August last year, found that each of the families interviewed as part of the representative sample for the research had reported some level of difficulty maintaining accommodation in the private rented sector, citing issues such as accessibility, rent increases and affordability and tenure security. Other reasons for homelessness were also cited in association, such as relationship breakdown, family issues, domestic violence, anti-social behaviour, etc. This research also found that 20% of the representative sample had previous experiences of homelessness. I am arranging for a copy of this research report to be sent to you for your information.