Vol. 502 No. 6
240 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if county and county borough councils are empowered to provide foyer-type single room hostel accommodation at low, fixed rents for students and young single people at work; and if he will provide an additional capital and revenue allocation to local authorities for this purpose in future budgets, together with a legislative framework for the operation of this type of low-cost housing. [8822/99]
Local authorities, through their housing programmes, provide housing, including hostel type accommodation, for people who have been assessed as in need of housing and who are unable to provide it from their own resources. A capital allocation funding is provided annually for this purpose. However, my Department does not provide specific funding for the ongoing revenue costs of housing provided by local authorities. An adequate legislative framework already exists for the provision and management by local authorities of hostel-type accommodation.
Local authorities do not, generally, provide foyer hostel type accommodation for young single persons. However, voluntary housing bodies have expressed interest in providing this type of accommodation for homeless young people with the benefit of capital funding made available by my Department under the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme.
I understand that Dublin Corporation are collaborating with the Cara Irish Housing Association in the provision of a 49 unit foyer development, for which a once-off additional provision of £1 million was made in the 1999 budget. I also understand that Cork Corporation are considering proposals from three voluntary bodies for the provision and operation of a foyer development for homeless young people.
