Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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1006. To ask the Minister for Health the collaborative efforts being undertaken by his Department and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to address the census 2016 findings information that 27% of homeless persons indicated that they have a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37558/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2011 – 2016 was published in October 2011 and the associated National Implementation Framework was published in July 2012. These documents are joint publications by the Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Department of Health. Implementation of the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability is being driven by a dedicated Subgroup chaired by the Housing Agency. The Strategy recognises the need for a robust interagency framework to facilitate person centred delivery of housing and relevant supports.

The collaborative structures put in place through the NHSPWD will ensure cross-Departmental and agency support to enable people with disabilities to live independent lives in the community. The Department of Health and the HSE are represented on the NHSPWD Implementation Monitoring Group, and on the Housing Subgroup. Key actions include the National Guidelines for Assessment and Allocation for Housing Provision for People with Disabilities have been developed and rolled out in local authorities. At local level, the HSE is represented in Housing and Disability Steering Groups in each local authority area.

The Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to continue to move people with disabilities out of congregated settings, to enable them to live independently and to be included in the community. The objective is to reduce this figure by one-third by 2021 and ultimately, to eliminate all congregated settings. The reconfiguration of residential services is being supported by €100 million in capital funding from the Department of Health over the period 2016-2021, while assistance with transitional costs is being provided by a Service Reform Fund. Supported by this Department and the HSE, the DHPLG is providing ring-fenced funding in 2017 under the Capital Allocation Scheme (CAS), specifically for the provision of housing for people with disabilities who are moving out of congregated settings into community based living arrangements.

The Department of Health and the HSE also participate in the implementation monitoring group for the Housing Strategy for People with disability. This includes people with mental health issues, which is addressing the needs of mental health service users in regard to accommodation, tenancy sustainment and related issues, including at sensitive points in their transition to care in the community. €2 million was provided to address the mental health needs of homeless persons in the Dublin region in 2016, from additional funding secured for mental health in the 2016 HSE National Service Plan. The funding supports care and case management and intensive addiction and mental health in-reach programmes for homeless people in supported temporary accommodation and in long-term accommodation. The increased funding will also support long-term intensive care for homeless people with chronic and enduring health needs living in long-term supported accommodation that do not require acute hospital care, but have high support needs. The €2 million provided in 2016, continues to be provided in 2017 to fund these additional services for homeless people with mental health and addiction needs.