Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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306. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the role of local authorities in the provision of emergency accommodation for persons presenting as homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56740/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. 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.

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.

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 the funding required to address homelessness in each region. Each region submits an annual expenditure programme to my Department and my Department approves a funding allocation. The management of the funding allocation is delegated to the lead authority in each region and is governed by a protocol between my Department and the lead authority. This protocol sets out the funding arrangements and structures to ensure adherence with statutory requirements and public financial procedures.

All regional authorities are obliged to ensure compliance with the Protocol and to ensure that accounting policies are in accordance with the regulatory accounting framework in place. These are subject to oversight and scrutiny at various levels, including by the Local Government Audit Service in their annual audit.