Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Jun 2000

Vol. 520 No. 4

Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy):

The number of bed spaces in hostels available in the Dublin Corporation area to homeless women is outlined in the following table.

Number of spaces for Women only	188
Number of spaces for Women and Children	341
Number of spaces in mixed hostels for both Men and Women	95

The description hostel accommodation is a broad one and includes refuges, long-term, transitional or medium term accommodation where people can stay for varying periods and over-night accommodation occupied every day, although in some cases the same persons might come back nightly.

While 1,072 women were identified as homeless in the Dublin area in the assessment of housing needs in March 1999, not all would be seeking emergency accommodation. Some would stay with family or friends until more suitable accommodation became available. Women who present as homeless are referred to hostels subject to availability. Otherwise they are accommodated in bed and breakfast accommodation.

As part of the Government's strategy on homelessness, additional accommodation and a wider variety of accommodation will be provided to address the needs of all homeless persons. Capital funding for the provision of local authority hostel accommodation has been doubled over the next five years from £20 million to £40 million for this purpose. The needs of all homeless persons, including homeless women, will be addressed in the context of the development of the action plans to tackle homelessness which are currently being drawn up at city and county level throughout the country.