Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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59. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent the various local authorities in the areas most affected by housing shortage are capable of mounting an emergency campaign to address the issue of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17111/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department continues to work closely with housing authorities in the areas most affected by deficits in housing supply to ensure that they are making every effort possible to meet the emergency accommodation needs of households presenting to them.

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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. One of the 5 Pillars of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is focused specifically on addressing homelessness and sets out a range of integrated measures through which local authorities, other public bodies, Approved Housing Bodies and other relevant organisations are responding to the homelessness challenge. Ultimately the solution rests in achieving a significant increase in housing supply, particularly in relation to social housing in respect of which 47,000 units of accommodation are to be provided over the period to 2021, supported by €5.35 billion in funding.

Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual local authorities.  The purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.  The funding needs of the various housing authorities are kept under review on an ongoing basis.  In Budget 2017, the Government approved funding of almost €98 million for this purpose, compared to an initial provision of €70 million last year, €53 million in 2015 and €45 million in 2014.