Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
396. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authorities operate any dedicated housing priority pathways for care leavers or care-experienced young adults at risk of homelessness; the number currently supported under such pathways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41128/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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.
The allocation of local authority dwellings, including the prioritisation of certain categories of households, is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with their allocation scheme made under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations.
This legislation requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme which specifies, among other things, the manner of and the order of priority for the allocation of dwellings to households on the housing and transfer lists. An allocation scheme may also contain provisions for exceptional or emergency cases, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting list priorities, should circumstances warrant it. Decisions on the allocation of social housing support are a matter solely for the local authority concerned.
Under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), capital funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to provide housing for specific categories of housing need, which can include persons leaving State care. Under this category, where a local authority is informed by Tusla that there is a need for accommodation for people aged 18-21 (or up to 23 if in education/training) leaving State care and who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, it may invite AHBs to apply for CAS funding to provide appropriate accommodation.
A national Youth Homelessness Strategy was developed for the period 2023 - 2025, and aimed to help young people aged 18-24 who were experiencing or were at risk of experiencing homelessness. The Strategy recognised that there are certain cohorts of young people who are at heightened risk of homelessness or disproportionately represented in the young homeless population. Those leaving State care were one such cohort. Accordingly, Action 7 within the Strategy provided for a review and update of Housing Circular 46/2014 on the Protocol on Young People Leaving State Care. While the Youth Homelessness Strategy has now concluded, my Department continues to put a specific focus on addressing youth homelessness and a subgroup is being established under the National Homeless Action Committee to focus on youth homelessness.
My Department worked closely with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and Tusla to develop the revised Protocol on Young People Leaving State Care. Feedback was also sought from a range of key stakeholders. The revised Protocol issued to local authorities in June 2025 and places a particular emphasis on the need to ensure a range of accommodation options for young people leaving state care and at risk of experiencing homelessness. The revised Protocol encourages local authorities to consider supported transitional and shared accommodation options, as appropriate, and to support AHBs in providing such accommodation options. The revised Protocol will be kept under review to ensure effective implementation and operation across all 31 local authorities.
While the Youth Homelessness Strategy has now concluded, I intend to ensure a continued focus on addressing youth homelessness. A subgroup will be established under the National Homeless Action Committee to focus on youth homelessness. The work of this subgroup will commence in Q3 2026.
