Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that, in response to the Taoiseach’s recent comments attributing increased numbers of people in emergency accommodation to asylum seekers, an organisation (details supplied) has said homelessness problems have been in the making for over a decade, and suggesting that they are somehow a new phenomenon related to immigration is disingenuous and should be avoided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39157/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Addressing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Record state investment of over €5bn has been made available this year to support the largest State home building programme ever. Budget 2025 will provide €6bn in capital to help us to deliver more social, affordable and cost rental homes for our people.

An allocation of €303 million, an increase of €61m on the 2024 provision, has been made under Budget 2025 to provide homeless prevention services, emergency accommodation and other services for households experiencing homelessness. There is a 25% increase on the 2024 budget in the overall 2025 allocation for homelessness.

However, it is important that in formulating policy and measures to address homelessness we understand the reasons for the increase and have a clear picture in terms of the cohorts most at risk. As such my Department and local authorities monitor demographic trends and the reasons for presentations.

The available data regarding the demographic make-up of adults accessing emergency accommodation in Dublin, shows a marked increase in the percentage of non-Irish citizens, from 44% in August 2022, to 54% in August 2024. In addition, data shows that households leaving Direct Provision have become an increasing proportion of the number of new households presenting to homeless services, particularly in the Dublin area where adults leaving Direct Provision has become the main reason for single adults presenting to homeless services. My Department is working with the relevant stakeholders to support all households experiencing homelessness to exit homelessness to a home.