Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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320. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a local authority can assess a person for homeless accommodation while the applicant is awaiting assessment for social housing need; if there are any barriers to treating the applications as two separate processes, that is, not relying on the initial social housing assessment of need to conclude; if any guidance has issued to local authorities in respect of dealing with the processing of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48565/22]

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 role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.

Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household. Any household assessed as homeless may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment, allowing local authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.

I understand some local authorities use the social housing application form as a tool to assist them reach an opinion on the applicant’s ability to provide accommodation from their own resources. Notwithstanding this, it remains the case that households need not be eligible for social housing to access homeless supports and homeless households can be provided with temporary emergency accommodation without undergoing a social housing assessment. This ensures local authorities can respond effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.

Guidelines for housing authorities in regard to the accommodation needs of homeless persons, including the assessment of whether a person is to be regarded as homeless, were issued following the commencement of the Housing Act 1988.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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321. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of homeless accommodation units and family units that have been quality audited from each municipal district in County Kildare and that are currently in receipt of funding in respect of provision of homeless services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48566/22]

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 role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. In addition, my Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.

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. Within each region, a Consultative Forum exists and it is the role of the Management Group of this forum to consider the need for homeless accommodation and the planning, implementation, funding and co-ordination of such services.

The matters raised are operational issues in the day-to-day delivery of services and as such are matters for Kildare County Council.