Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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924. To ask the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department on the health element of Housing First initiatives in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1078/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Housing First is an initiative for homeless individuals, who have been sleeping rough and using emergency homeless accommodation on a long-term basis, with complex needs (including mental health and addiction needs) that have prevented them from exiting homelessness.   The model offers the provision of immediate, permanent and affordable housing to tackle homelessness, and provides appropriate wraparound housing and health supports, and connections to community-based supports, to ensure people maintain their housing and improve their overall health and well-being.

The Housing First National Implementation Plan 2018–2021 is collaboration between the Department of Health and Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. It includes a target of over 600 tenancies. Over 50 per cent of those tenancies have already been delivered; and the success rate of the programme through housing sustainment is over 85 per cent, which compares very favourably with the best outcomes achieved by Housing First internationally.

A Housing First Manual for Ireland was published in December 2020 and will assist housing and healthcare practitioners in implementing the model in Ireland.

The Department of Health provides annual funding of €36 million to the HSE for the health services and supports for homeless people, which is an increase of €6 million since 2016. From this allocation, the HSE provides funding for health supports for those availing of tenancies through Housing First.

I along with my colleagues the Minister for Health and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage are committed to reducing and preventing homelessness.  Housing First is an important policy instrument to reach this goal. In  Budget 2021, I secured €1m for health supports for 218 new tenancies under the Housing First programme. as part of an overall allocation of €3.8m for the addiction and health needs of people who are homeless.

As the Deputy’s question relates to the spend on the health element of Housing First for 2018 - 2020, and is therefore a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.