John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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1562. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason there are well in excess of 200 people over 65 years of age in homeless accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42639/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to addressing homelessness is increasing the supply of housing.

A record level of capital investment is being provided in 2025 with overall capital funding available of almost €6.8 billion to support the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes. Housing supply has increased significantly since the publication of Housing for All in 2021. In particular, 32,787 social homes have been delivered through Build, Acquisition and Leasing schemes from 2022 to 2024. This increased supply of social housing is supporting the increased allocation of homes to households on the social housing waiting list, including households in emergency accommodation.

The new Programme for Government also sets out a number of additional measures which the Government will take to address homelessness. The plan commits to providing emergency accommodation for everyone who needs it with special supports for children impacted by homelessness; focussing social housing allocations on getting families out of long-term homelessness; and ensuring a holistic, cross departmental approach to homelessness prevention.

Funding of €303 million is available for the delivery of homeless services in 2025. This funding supports the provision of emergency accommodation and wrap-around supports. In addition, capital funding of €25m will support the delivery of high quality transitional and emergency accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness. A key focus of local authorities and their service delivery partners is to support households in emergency accommodation to exit emergency accommodation to a tenancy.

The long-term housing needs of families and individuals, including those aged 65 and over, who are in emergency accommodation, will be met through a range of social housing supports such as the Housing Assistance Payment scheme and through general social housing allocations.

The Programme for Government also includes a number of commitments related to increasing the supply of housing for older people. These commitments build upon the policy objectives in Housing for All, which commit to increasing housing available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. Work on these commitments is ongoing within a Policy Group recently established within my Department to consider the implementation of these commitments. This work will be advanced through specific measures in the new Housing Plan that is currently being prepared by my Department.

My Department provides capital funding to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to support the delivery of social homes in their area including for older people. Under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), where local authorities build or acquire, houses/apartments for social housing use, my Department provides 100% of these costs to local authorities.

Under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) my Department provides up to 100% Capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies to provide new social homes for priority categories to include homeless, disability and housing for older people. Furthermore, CALF funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units which may also accommodate older people.