John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

834. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for family hubs in areas of Rathfarnham, Templeogue, Terenure and Tallaght; the number of hubs planned; the location of each; the number of families to be accommodated in each location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33034/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As part of the response to the commitment contained in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness that, by mid-2017, hotels will only be used as emergency accommodation in limited circumstances, housing authorities are delivering a number of family-focused, supported temporary accommodation facilities. These custom-developed facilities will offer family living arrangements with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support planning, including on-site access to required services, such as welfare, health, housing services, cooking and laundry facilities and appropriate family supports.

Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, while my Department’s role involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. It will therefore be a matter for the relevant housing authorities to consider the ongoing need for such facilities in their areas within the overall context of their social housing delivery programmes.

In relation to the Deputy’s specific query, there are currently 15 supported temporary accommodation facilities advancing in the Dublin region; however, none of these are currently located in the areas referred to by the Deputy. It should be noted that specific information in relation to the number of families accommodated in individual facilities in Dublin is a matter for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.