Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of families that were placed in family hubs in 2017; and the number of these families that have left family hubs for other accommodation. [3587/18]

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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184. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of families in family hubs; and the length of time these families have spent in family hubs, in tabular form. [3588/18]

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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185. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of families that have been in family hubs for periods of more than three and six months respectively, in tabular form. [3589/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together.

It is recognised that hotel accommodation is inappropriate for accommodating homeless families for anything other than a short period of time.  Accordingly, the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness includes the objective that hotels should only be used as emergency accommodation for families in limited circumstances.  To meet this objective, in addition to providing for long-term housing needs, a number of housing authorities are delivering enhanced family-focused facilities, or family hubs.

There are now more than 430 units of family accommodation in operational hub facilities. Further facilities will become operational during the course of 2018.  These hubs offer a greater level of stability than is possible in hotels, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. 

The specific data sought in the Question is not available in my Department, and is a matter for the relevant housing authorities. Notwithstanding this, I understand that the housing authorities and service providers concerned are working hard to ensure the progression of homeless families into independent tenancies, as quickly as possible.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of persons in hotel accommodation and bed and breakfast accommodation in each of the past three years in counties Louth and Meath, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3597/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Official homeless reports are published on my Department's website on a monthly basis and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data. 

These reports include a breakdown based on accommodation type at the regional level.  Commercial hotels and B&Bs are included within the private emergency accommodation (PEA) category as are other commercially provided emergency accommodation arrangements. Specific figures for hotels or B&B usage in counties Louth and Meath are not available in my Department.