Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his Department's policy relating to the housing of homeless families in family type accommodation; if he has instructed all local authorities, including those in the midlands to offer family specific accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7523/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual housing authorities. I am satisfied that housing authorities are currently making every effort to make the most suitable accommodation possible available to homeless households seeking emergency accommodation.

Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness acknowledges that the use of hotels as emergency accommodation for families for long periods of time is inappropriate and unsustainable. Accordingly, the Plan includes a commitment that, by mid-2017, hotels should only be used in limited circumstances as emergency accommodation for families. Full details and timeframes in relation to the range of actions to address family homelessness are set out in Rebuilding Ireland, which is available on the www.rebuildingireland.ie website.