Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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430. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the campaign and document from an organisation (details supplied) for the Government to issue a specific family homelessness strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27513/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, responsibility for addressing homelessness rests with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. In this regard, any decision relating to a specific family homelessness strategy would also be a matter for that Department. That said, my Department and Tusla are continuing to make every effort to alleviate the difficulties experienced by children and families who are homeless, within both our collective functions, roles and responsibilities:

Section 14 of the Childcare Support Act 2018 made special provision for vulnerable children, and specified five statutory bodies that can make a sponsored referral for the National Childcare Scheme. Local Authorities are defined in the Act to allow them to support homeless persons with children that are homeless. Once a child meets the criteria for sponsorship they can automatically avail of up to 45 hours childcare per week. In these instances a higher subsidy rate will also be payable and no co-payment may be charged to the parent.

Tusla are members of the National Homeless Consultative Forum, the Senior Statutory Management Group (Dublin), the Dublin Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum, have continued links with CYPSCs, and also advocate for homeless children and families to Local Authorities where a family is especially vulnerable.

Tusla are also involved in efforts to provide practical supports, such as Children First training to homeless services in relation to child protection, homework initiatives in family hubs, and regular liaisons between the hubs. Tusla funds over 130 independent Family Resource Centres (FRC) who work with homeless families, and are involved in school completion programmes engaging with supports to homeless families.