Written answers

Thursday, 25 May 2017

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Emergency Accommodation Provision

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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59. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the actions he will take to assist persons following a fire at a development (details supplied); his plans for assistance to be put in place for future fires resulting in homelessness for significant numbers of persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25031/17]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The inter-Agency response to support families affected by the fire at Verdemont, Blanchardstown, is being led by Fingal County Council.

I understand from the Council that a range of accommodation arrangements are in place to meet the immediate housing needs all households affected by the fire, and there is on-going contact between the Council, the insurance agent and the management company in this regard. Also, the Council has allocated a temporary tenancy to a number of households pending their assessment for long-term social housing support, and Threshold has provided housing advice and support clinics.

I understand that the Department of Social Protection's Community Welfare Service, in tandem with the Council and Citizen's Information, have put in place an emergency multi-Agency clinic offering advice and support to affected households, and that the Community Welfare Service has been offering financial assistance, where appropriate based on each household's needs, through the Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payment schemes.

The response to any major fire, and managing consequences arising therefrom, is provided in accordance with the Framework for Major emergency Management (2006). This was put in place to support effective response by the Principal Response Agencies, including inter-agency coordination, to major emergencies resulting from events such as fires, transport accidents, hazardous substance incidents and severe weather.

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