Vol. 483 No. 3
44 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he intends to integrate the housing functions of each health board to its relevant local authority; if he intends to introduce legislation to achieve this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20181/97]
I accept that greater co-ordination between local authorities and health boards in relation to housing functions carried out by the health boards would be beneficial.
The scale of health board involvement in the housing area has grown significantly in recent years with the increased level of activity of housing supplementation under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. In addition, health boards may also be involved in the assessment of the circumstances of individual applicants for local authority housing. They are also involved particularly in providing services for homeless persons and with special category needs such as persons with disabilities or the elderly e.g. the provision of high support housing or through the special task force for the elderly which is financed by my Department.
Generally speaking there is a considerable level of co-ordination between local authorities and health boards and, in this connection, I cite as a good example the homeless initiative involving the Eastern Health Board, local authorities and voluntary housing organisations in the Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare area.
There are, I believe, sound practical reasons underlying the involvement of health boards in the housing area and I consider the appropriate course in this regard is to ensure maximum co-ordination between health boards and local authorities rather than to seek to integrate all housing functions into local authorities.
