Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

18. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the comments of the Ombudsman when she stated recently her concern that 2,177 children are homeless and living in hotels, hostel emergency accommodation and there is an urgent need to move away from this option; and her plans to resolve this issue urgently. [23041/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

28. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures she is taking to offer better support for the increasing number of children in emergency homeless accommodation across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22962/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

38. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to support children who are living in hotels; if this includes helping them to maintain links with their community, family supports and school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23044/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 28 and 38 together.

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am very concerned about the welfare of homeless children. As the Deputies will be aware, issues in relation to homelessness are a key priority for this Government, as evidenced by the publication of the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness last Tuesday. While the concerted efforts and actions in the Plan will result in families moving on from emergency accommodation in a shorter timeframe than at present, we must ensure that families and children are supported as much as possible while they are in the emergency accommodation.

To this end, the Action Plan includes the following additional measures to assist families in emergency homeless accommodation to mitigate the challenges they face:

- Additional dedicated child support workers will be appointed in an initiative by the DCYA. The workers will develop support plans for children and families with a particular focus on those with specific needs – a quarter of children presenting as homeless need this additional support.

- Access to early years services. My Department will ask the City and County Childcare Committees to liaise with homeless families and assist them in accessing early years services. A new specific scheme will also be designed from existing resources.

- Home School Community Liaison and School Completion staff will assist children and families experiencing homelessness to maintain regular school attendance and prioritise them within the School Completion Programme.

- A pilot project will be introduced to support the family functioning of homeless families currently in emergency accommodation by providing off-site or near-site family time including play, homework, cooking and washing facilities, family support and parent support.

- The nutritional needs of families and children will be addressed. Some homeless families do not have access to cooking facilities or regular nutritional food, depending on the location of the emergency accommodation. My Department, in partnership with others, will identify problem areas and propose solutions.

- Additional resources will be put in place to strengthen inter-agency arrangements within Tusla including Family Support, Social Work and Educational Welfare.

The Action Plan also contains a number of measures which aim to prevent homelessness amongst other vulnerable groups, including:

- Young people leaving State care and at risk of homelessness will be identified and catered for through appropriate housing and other supports required to meet their needs.

- Tusla will provide additional emergency refuge accommodation spaces so that victims of domestic violence forced to flee the family home do not find themselves homeless. The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government will provide policy and procedural guidance to housing authorities with regard to the role they can play to assist these victims to secure new, independent tenancies as required.

- A new facility with accommodation for pregnant women who are homeless will be provided by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, with my Department and Tusla supporting the service.

I will work closely with my colleagues in Government and with all relevant agencies, to ensure that we address this issue as a matter of major importance.