Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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378. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is a national or local policy stipulating that emergency accommodation must be wheelchair accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8286/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities.

The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services has been developed by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive on behalf of my Department to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the quality of services provided. In general, the operation of emergency accommodation facilities is contracted out by local authorities, under service level agreements, to NGO partners involved in the delivery of homeless services.

Monitoring and inspection of services are an important element of the Framework, and are a matter for the individual local authorities. This Framework is consistent with Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) standards and seeks to ensure a minimum level of quality in the provision of temporary accommodation and related services for homeless persons. The standards give service providers a framework for continuous quality improvement in their services and include provisions concerning the accessibility of buildings to service users with common physical or sensory disabilities.

The National Quality Standards Framework can be accessed at www.homelessdublin.ie/content/files/NQSF-Standards.pdf.

The regional lead local authorities undertake monitoring and review activities to assure that services are operating effectively.