Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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15. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason the midlands region receives a disproportionate homeless allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45253/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are set out in section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.  Under that section, funding is provided annually to local authorities, on a regional basis, and the responsibility for the disbursement of funding is delegated to a lead-authority in each region.  The counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath make up the midlands region and Westmeath County Council is the agreed regional lead-authority.

The midlands region housing authorities were allocated €800,000 in Exchequer funding for 2017, in respect of their programme for planned and contracted expenditure for homeless services and accommodation. In addition, my Department has also made payments of over €232,000 in 2017 to the midlands region arising from increased levels of homeless presentation. These costs include temporary emergency accommodation for families.

Given the current level of homelessness in the midlands, comprising 67 adults and 47 dependents, which represents 1.36% of the national total, and having regard to the fact that the midlands region's percentage drawdown of national funding has averaged at 1.27% over the last three years, I do not consider that the region receives a disproportionate allocation. 

However, as is the case with all regions, I can assure the Deputy if further funding is required for homeless services in the midlands region, I will consider the matter.