Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 September 2024
190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he might formulate a plan to meet the emergency housing requirements of persons who have been in rented accommodation now no longer available for various reasons, who cannot be accommodated through HAP for obvious reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37230/24]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency 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.
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.
Budget 2024 allocated funding of over €242 million for the delivery of homeless services. This funding will support the provision of emergency accommodation and supports that households require to exit emergency accommodation to a tenancy.
Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, through Build, Acquisition and Leasing, including 8,110 new build homes, the highest level of new build social homes in nearly 50 years.
Record state investment of over €5bn has been made available this year to support the largest State home building programme ever, including 9,300 new build social homes. This funding will also support the Tenant in Situ scheme, with provision to acquire 1,500 homes where a social housing tenant has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. This scheme delivered 1,830 acquisitions in 2023 and was a key prevention measure. For private tenants at risk of homelessness who are not in receipt of social housing supports, the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme has also been introduced.
Local authorities and their service delivery partners will work closely with all households in emergency accommodation to support them to secure an exit to a tenancy. With the significant increase in social housing stock, I have asked local authorities to ensure that sufficient homes are being allocated to exit households from emergency accommodation.
