Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1964. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding homeless children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37246/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, it is important to clarify that policy responsibility for children who require safe accommodation without their parent(s) or guardian(s), referred to as children 'out of home', rests with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

With regard to families residing in emergency accommodation, with associated dependents, the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness outlines a number of actions to assist such households.  The long-term solution to the current homeless issue is to increase the supply of homes and accordingly Rebuilding Ireland is designed to accelerate all types of housing supply.  In particular, it seeks to achieve the delivery of increased volumes of social housing over the coming years (47,000 units by 2021).  It is intended that the long-term housing needs of households in emergency accommodation will be met through a range of social housing supports, such as the enhanced Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, and general social housing allocations.  Successes are being achieved in this regard; in 2016, over 3,000 sustainable exits from homelessness into independent tenancies were achieved; in the first quarter of 2017 over 900 such exits were achieved and, while I am awaiting full confirmation from authorities, I expect a similar level for the subsequent quarter.

To mitigate the issues associated with the volume of homeless families currently accommodated in inappropriate temporary arrangements, in addition to the actions outlined above, housing authorities are pursuing a range of new supported temporary accommodation initiatives.  These custom-developed facilities, referred to as family hubs, will offer family living arrangements with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation, with the capacity to provide appropriate play-space, cooking and laundry facilities, communal recreation space, 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 and appropriate family supports.

Additional support services for families in emergency accommodation are available through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.  These include: a special provision under the existing Community Childcare Subvention Programme of free childcare for children from homeless families; a special emphasis being placed on children from homeless families through the School Completion Programme; schools with Home School Community Liaison Coordinators are proactively engaging with the parents from homeless families to assist access to any other supports that may be of assistance; and children in homeless accommodation are being prioritised within the School Completion Programme for services such as breakfast and homework clubs.

Also, as signalled, a targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland, with an emphasis on identifying new initiatives that add value and raise ambition with regard to increasing the supply of social and affordable homes, is well underway.  In that context, a number of new initiatives in relation to homelessness were announced on 8 September 2017, details of which are available at the following link: .