Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there will be a review of the transfer of homeless services from the Department of Social Protection in February 2019 to reflect on the challenges entailed in the transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62231/21]

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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98. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the person or body that oversees the funding made available to each homeless action team to ensure balanced regional development and equity between regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62232/21]

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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99. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the professional training homeless action team personnel have in order to be able to respond appropriately to vulnerable and at-risk persons who may have complex needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62233/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 to 99, inclusive, together.

My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes for which costs may be incurred by housing authorities in respect of the provision of homeless accommodation and related services.

While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis, with nine administrative regions in place. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. It is a matter for the management group of the consultative forum, in the first instance, to determine the services and funding required to address homelessness in each region.

It is the responsibility of each housing authority to ensure that an appropriately staffed homeless action team are in place to address homelessness in each administrative area. In doing so housing authorities should ensure action teams are configured and resourced with the appropriate skill sets, decision-making ability and functional capacity to address homelessness at a local level.

Prior to 2019 some housing authorities had arrangements in place whereby the Department of Social Protection secured and made financial arrangements for the provision of homeless emergency accommodation.  In 2019, responsibility for such arrangements transferred to housing authorities. I have no plans to review the transfer arrangements at national level, as these were arrangements that had been in place at a local level, having regard to the statutory responsibilities of housing authorities.