Written answers

Thursday, 7 December 2017

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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257. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of the cold weather initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52434/17]

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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At last September's Housing Summit, I emphasised the need for all housing authorities to have sufficient capacity in emergency accommodation and to have appropriate facilities in place for every person sleeping rough, on any night of the week.

I instructed the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, at that time, to set about ensuring the delivery of 200 additional permanent emergency beds by Christmas, in a range of new facilities across the city. 50 of the 200 permanent beds are now in place and the remaining 150 emergency beds will be brought into use over the coming days, with all being in place by mid-December.

As the weather becomes colder, my Department has also been working with local authorities to ensure that their Cold Weather Initiatives are in place.  These arrangements ensure that additional temporary beds can be brought into use across a range of existing services and facilities for singles and couples, who need them during periods of cold weather. 

In addition to the 200 new permanent beds that will be in place over the coming two weeks in Dublin, there are also more than 50 temporary beds in place, if required during the cold weather. In Cork, there are an additional 25 temporary beds in place, while in Galway an additional 34 temporary beds are in place. In Limerick, an additional 10 temporary beds are in place and in Waterford 9 additional temporary beds are also in place.

The long-term solution to the current homeless crisis is, clearly, to increase the supply of homes for those who need them. Under Rebuilding Ireland, 50,000 new social housing homes will be delivered over the period to 2021, supported by €6 billion in funding. 

A key mechanism for dealing with homeless individuals is through the Housing First Programme, which supports homeless individuals move from emergency accommodation to independent living.  180 tenancies have been established under this Programme to date.  

This programme is being prioritised and it is expected that a National Director of Housing First will be appointed shortly to drive the programme.  This post will be critical in supporting those who sleep rough or reside in hostel accommodation to enter into independent living arrangements.

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