Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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855. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated cost of providing Housing First with wraparound supports to a single adult experiencing long-term homelessness; the estimated cost of expanding the Housing First programme to the 2,245 families currently accessing emergency homeless accommodation, and to include in that cost the provision of wraparound services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30592/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or intermittently over long periods of time, and those unable or resistant to accessing homeless services and who may then become habitual rough sleepers. These individuals often have complex high support needs such as mental or physical health problems, addiction issues or dual diagnosis (the presence of mental ill health and a substance addiction).

Housing for All committed to the further expansion of Housing First. A new National Implementation Plan, which provides for a further 1,319 tenancies covering the period 2022-2026, was published in December 2021. These targets are based on an analysis of need, which involved all key stakeholders and was supported by The Housing Agency. The implementation of the Plan is a joint initiative of my Department, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE), the criminal justice sector (the Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service) and Local Authorities, in conjunction with NGO partners.

The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, commits to creating 2,000 Housing First tenancies to help eliminate long term homelessness. The cost of a Housing First tenancy is dependant on the individual circumstances of each Housing First client, e.g. the level of support required and where the tenancy is located.

A key element of the programme is its specific targeting of single adults experiencing long term homelessness rather than families. As such, my Department does not hold the details requested on the estimated costs of expanding the programme to families.