Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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398. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether any review, assessment or consultation process has been undertaken regarding barriers faced by victims of domestic abuse in accessing HAP supports, emergency accommodation or social housing allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41155/26]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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401. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether any national guidance exists for local authorities regarding the treatment of domestic abuse victims under social housing allocation schemes or homelessness assessment processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41158/26]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 401 together.

Supporting individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, including victims and survivors of domestic abuse, is a priority for my Department and Government.

The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims rests with my colleague the Minister for Justice working in conjunction with Cuan, the statutory DSGBV agency under the remit of the Department of Justice.

My Department, working with Cuan, supports the development of Domestic Violence Refuges through the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). CAS provides up to 100% capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies to advance Refuge projects in partnership with Domestic Violence groups. My Department and the Housing Agency work closely with the relevant local authorities and Cuan to support, provide technical advice, and advance these projects from initial design through to construction and completion.

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 local level.

Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. Decisions on the assessment of households for homeless services, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter for the local authority concerned.

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.

In 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance to local authorities relating to the role they can play to assist victims of domestic violence. The issuing of this 2017 policy and guidance was a significant action in the second national strategy on DSGBV 2016-2021, and has since played an important role in addressing the housing needs of victims and survivors of DSGBV, providing direction to local authorities in supporting victims of domestic violence. It covers a range of scenarios that may arise for victims of domestic violence currently in receipt of social housing support and those seeking social housing supports. These include provisions around the use of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, or the Rental Accommodation Scheme, where a victim has a joint interest in the family home, or ownership of alternative accommodation, but would otherwise qualify for social housing support.

In June 2022 the Department of Justice published Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV 2022-2026. As an action in this strategy, my Department committed to a review of the 2017 Policy and Procedural Guidance for Housing Authorities in relation to assisting victims of domestic violence with emergency and long-term accommodation needs in order to ensure continuing effectiveness and consistency in responses to assist victims of domestic violence. My Department has engaged with Cuan in relation to this review and proposed recommendations arising from the review. Any updates to the policy and guidance will be communicated to local authorities in due course. In the meantime, local authorities operate in accordance with the 2017 Guidance.

With regard to social housing support, the qualification criteria for social housing support are set down in Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.

Decisions on the allocation of social housing support are a matter solely for the local authority concerned. Each application must be considered on its own merits and the individual circumstances taken into account. Local authorities will prioritise allocations to those households they consider to be most in need, which can include victims of domestic violence.

The HAP Place Finder service assists households in or at immediate risk of homelessness primarily by providing access to deposits and advance rental payments. These elements are the core financial supports and are available to prospective tenants in all local authority areas. To qualify for specific additional supports available to homeless households, a household must have been determined by the relevant local authority to be homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988. The operation of local homeless services, including the Place Finder Service, is a matter for each local authority.

Since 11 July 2022, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit and can also apply a couple rate to a single person household, where required. Up to 50% discretion can be provided in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It is a matter for the local authority to determine, whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.

In addition to the above supports, a new protocol was established in 2020 when the Minister for Social Protection agreed to make rent supplement more accessible to victims of domestic violence. This measure aims to ensure that they are not prevented from leaving their homes because of financial or accommodation difficulties.

While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual local 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. 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.

Local authorities and their service delivery partners work closely with all households in need of emergency accommodation to provide appropriate emergency accommodation, and the ultimate aim is to support them to secure an exit to a tenancy.

My Department will ensure sufficient funding is made available for all required homeless services, including the provision of emergency accommodation, to support those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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399. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether local authorities operate any dedicated prioritisation pathway, emergency transfer mechanism or accelerated assessment process for victims of domestic abuse seeking social housing support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41156/26]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.

Regulation 12 of the 2011 Regulations prescribes the timescales for the processing of applications by local authorities and provides that, subject to conditions, a local authority shall deal with an application within a period of 12 weeks. Local authorities will prioritise housing needs assessments for those in greatest need and ensure that such applications are dealt with within time-frames that are significantly shorter that the statutory maximum.

Currently, it is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. However, and in line with a commitment in the housing plan, a protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority will be established and implemented this year.

My Department has already engaged with local authorities and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to develop this protocol. The structures to progress this commitment are in place, including a dedicated group of local authority Directors of Housing that is working with my Department to ensure that the protocol is workable, meets the needs of those who can benefit from it, and is finalised as soon as possible.

Notwithstanding this commitment, local authorities will prioritise allocations to those households they consider to be most in need at any moment in time. Local authorities may also provide for exceptional or emergency cases to qualified households, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting lists priorities, should circumstances require. Households may also move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme where the household income is within the relevant income limits.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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400. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether data is collected regarding the number of persons presenting as homeless or seeking emergency accommodation due to domestic abuse, broken down by local authority area and year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41157/26]

James Browne (Wexford, 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.

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.

My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).

The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. The most recently published data is in respect of March 2026. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/ and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitisation open data portal .

My Department also publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly performance reports include regional information on presentations to homeless services by new single adult and family households who entered emergency accommodation. The quarterly progress report summarises the data submitted to the Department.

Since Q2 2023, local authorities have been reporting the reasons for presentations by single adult and family households who newly enter emergency accommodation. A category for ‘Domestic Violence’ as a household reason for presenting and entering emergency accommodation was added to the progress report in Q1 2024, and ‘Leaving an Institution’ (which includes Care/Hospital/Prison/Refuge) was added in Q3 2024.

Progress and performance reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link: .