Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
386. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proportion of emergency accommodation capacity nationally currently comprised of hotels, bed-and-breakfast accommodation, family hubs, congregated facilities and supported temporary accommodation respectively. [36351/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra387. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any national target exists to reduce dependency on hotel or bed-and-breakfast emergency accommodation. [36352/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra388. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any assessment has been carried out regarding the long-term fiscal sustainability of hotel-based emergency accommodation provision. [36353/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 386, 387 and 388 together.
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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes for which costs may be incurred by housing authorities in respect of the provision of homeless accommodation and related services.
While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing 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. In the first instance, it is the responsibility for the management group of the consultative forum to determine the type and range of homeless services required to address homelessness in each region. This includes determining the type of emergency accommodation, the capacity represented by each facility or accommodation type, the funding required and other operational matters.
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. This report provides a breakdown of the number of adults in emergency accommodation per accommodation type. 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 and Digitalisation's open data portal https://data.gov.ie/.
Additionally, financial reports from each of the homeless regions, setting out expenditure on homeless accommodation and related services including the types of homeless services are published on my Department's website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
The Department does not procure or tender for emergency accommodation services directly. The Department contributes to the overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of services. This Government has committed to providing emergency accommodation to all those that need it. As part of the budgetary process, my Department takes account of the current costs, and forecasts the projected costs, arising from the provision of all forms of emergency accommodation, including commercial accommodation.
Budget 2026 provides a total allocation of €563.5m to address homelessness. This includes €50 million in capital funding, which will allow local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to invest in the construction or acquisition of properties suitable for use as homeless or transitional accommodation.
