Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Rebuilding Ireland, the Government's Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, includes a range of the measures to support individuals experiencing homelessness. Under the Plan, my Department is providing capital funding to local authorities to ensure that there is sufficient emergency accommodation in place to provide shelter for all who require it. In 2019, the operational budget available to local authorities to support households experiencing homelessness, including the provision of emergency accommodation, has been increased by over 25% to €146m.

Under Rebuilding Ireland, over 200 permanent emergency beds have been introduced in the Dublin region in each of the years from 2016 to 2018. All of these beds are classified as 'supported temporary accommodation', where individuals receive the housing and health supports that they require to exit homelessness into an independent tenancy. Many of the individuals accessing emergency accommodation require significant health supports, particularly in the area of addiction and mental health. I am working closely with the Minister for Health, who is responsible for funding the provision of health supports, to ensure that the necessary arrangements and funding are in place. At the local level, statutory management groups are in place, including representatives of the local authorities and the HSE, to coordinate the delivery of housing and health supports as appropriate.