Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together.

My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on numbers using emergency accommodation, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports serve as important management information for my Department, the housing authority sector and the various State funded non-governmental organisations involved in the delivery of homeless services. The reports are produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's open data portal https://data.gov.ie/ 

These reports do not capture details of individuals utilising temporary accommodation that is not overseen by housing authorities, such as clients of domestic violence refuges.  While my Department does provide support through the Capital Assistance Scheme for accommodation for victims of domestic violence, responsibility for the development and provision of services in this area rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I understand that the delivery of these services is managed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.  

At the time of PASS’s initial development, my Department was contributing funding for domestic violence services. As a result, domestic violence was included as a category within PASS as a reason for families and individuals presenting as homeless. However, following the realignment of national responsibility for domestic violence services in 2015 to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the compilation and management of data in relation to clients receiving shelter at a domestic violence refuge became a matter for Tusla.

I understand that the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE), as the body responsible for the management and administration of PASS, is completing a review of PASS with a view to amending the reasons for presenting as homeless that can be recorded on the system. I understand this is to minimise data gaps with regards to reasons for homeless presentations. The DRHE have advised my Department that while Tusla have statutory responsibility for the provision of accommodation and related services to victims of domestic violence, there are times when shelters are full or when a family is discharged from a refuge to homeless services and so there is a need to record this more systematically. To that end, the DRHE are examining the restoration of domestic violence as a reason motivating individuals to present as homeless to PASS.

This review is still ongoing and on its completion, the DRHE will propose its recommendations to my Department and the other Regional Homeless Lead Authorities.

Local authorities are not requested to submit data on individuals presenting as homeless as a result of domestic violence. However, Dublin has provided additional information in this regard, details below.  

Year	Month	Region	Number of Adults
2021	October	Dublin	2
2021	November	Dublin	1
2021	December	Dublin	2

This data pertains only to adults within family households.