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 a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities.

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.

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. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, local authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, local authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the Exchequer funding arrangements provided by my Department.

A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the range of emergency accommodation services and funding required in each region are a matter for individual local authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.

The Report referred to, highlights the important work undertaken by the named organisation to support those at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. The named organisation, and the work of the wider NGO sector, is critical to support and address the complex combination of social, health and economic needs of those experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness.

The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern for me and for the Government. We are doing everything in our power to tackle this problem, both by increasing housing supply and investing in homelessness prevention.

My Department is in regular discussion with each local authority in relation to funding requirements to meet their homeless services programme, and I have continued to assure local authorities that funding for all required homeless services including in the provision of emergency accommodation will be provided this year.