Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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244. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of homeless families that are expected to be accommodated at the proposed family hub at a site (details supplied) in Coolock, Dublin 17; the date the family hub is expected to be ready. [25786/17]

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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245. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the cost to lease the proposed family hub to accommodate homeless families at a site (details supplied) in Coolock, Dublin 17; the estimated costs to refurbish the site. [25787/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.

It is recognised that hotel accommodation is inappropriate for accommodating homeless families for anything other than a short period of time. Accordingly Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, includes the objective that, by mid-2017, hotels will only be used in limited circumstances as emergency accommodation for families.

To meet this objective, in addition to providing for long-term housing needs, housing authorities are pursuing the delivery of a range of additional and enhanced family-focused facilities which offer a greater level of stability than is possible in hotels, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support, including on-site access to required services, such as welfare, health, housing services and appropriate family supports.

Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities. Accordingly, specific information in relation to the number of families accommodated in individual facilities in Dublin is a matter for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

Negotiations in relation to the leasing and refurbishment costs of family hub projects across Dublin are on-going and the details are therefore commercially sensitive. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has indicated that it is not in a position to release this information as to do so would compromise their negotiating position during this process.