Written answers

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Policy

Photo of Mark WardMark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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123. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a report on the Housing First model from 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46392/21]

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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148. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the percentage of the existing housing need that will be met by the revised Housing First targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46016/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 148 together.

Housing First is a targeted housing-led intervention, that enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to help them maintain their tenancies. The programme is a joint initiative of my Department, the Department of Health, the HSE and local authorities, in conjunction with NGO partners.

At the end of June 2021, a total of 587 individuals were being housed under the Housing First programme including 493 individuals who have been housed since the publication of the National Implementation Plan for 2018-2021. Details on the number of Housing First tenancies are published every three months as part of my Department's Homeless Quarterly Progress Report, with the next report due for publication in October 2021.

Housing for All commits to the further expansion of Housing First by 1,200 additional tenancies over the next five years. Research is currently being undertaken by the Housing Agency to carry out a region by region assessment of need for the supports provided by Housing First. This research will inform the expansion of the programme and publication of a new National Implementation Plan in Q4 2021.

The most recent monthly homelessness report, for August 2021, was published by my Department on 24 September 2021. The total number of homeless individuals was 8,212. Amongst this number, there were 4,469 single adults (adults who are not part of a family unit) in emergency accommodation. It is important to note that the majority of individuals in emergency accommodation do not require the level of supports provided by Housing First.

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