Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
789. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health whether funding has been provided in Budget 2026 for the operation of 37 currently unused beds in a facility (details supplied), under the social inclusion heading. [56738/25]
View answerThe Department of Health provided an additional €1m to HSE Dublin and Midlands in 2024 to enable the Dublin Simon Community to open a state-funded community care facility for people who are homeless, with an initial capacity of 51 beds.
The Department provided a further €4.9m to the HSE Dublin and Midlands in 2025 to meet the full year costs of the 51 beds. In addition, in July of this year, the Depart and the HSE agreed to further increase in the capacity of the facility by 12 beds, to a total of 63 beds. This brings to €8.5m the combined Dept of Health and HSE investment in the facility to-date. This enhanced capacity will deliver c 900 treatment episodes per annum, which could potentially benefit one in five of the single homeless population in Dublin.
The four clinical programmes provided in the facility are: Alcohol & Benzodiazepine Detox, Blood Borne Virus stabilisation, low threshold Addiction Recovery and Step Up Step Down (Intermediate Care).
The Department is currently considering a business case from the HSE Dublin and Midlands to open a further 12 beds, for an additional investment of €1.84m. The business case is being assessed in the context of the 2026 Estimates. The Minister will make an announcement on the business case shortly.
The Department is committed to incrementally expanding the capacity of the community care facility, depending on three factors:
• the availability of additional resources,
• the demand for the additional services,
• the effectiveness of the facility in facilitating a pathway out of homelessness.
An evaluation of the facility is proposed for 2026, and this will inform decisions on the further expansion of capacity at the facility.
The Department is committed to incrementally expanding the capacity of the community care facility, depending on three factors:
• the availability of additional resources,
• the demand for the additional services,
• the effectiveness of the facility in facilitating a pathway out of homelessness.
An evaluation of the facility is proposed for 2026, and this will inform decisions on the further expansion of capacity at the facility.
The Deputy should be aware that the Department allocates in excess of €50m for the provision of healthcare services for people who are homeless. Furthermore, I have announced additional funding of €1.53m in Budget 2026 to improve access to health services for people living in emergency homeless accommodation and those at risk of becoming homeless, on a national basis.
I firmly believe that in order to achieve better health outcomes for people who are homeless, we must provide a clear pathway by which people are supported to exit homelessness and to begin the journey to recovery and to a healthier and meaningful life.
