Last year, 66 hostels for homeless persons received funding from local authorities and a list of the areas where they are located follows. My Department does not have a breakdown of this information for previous years. Expenditure by local authorities in funding hostels for homeless persons is 90% recouped by my Department.
While there are a significant number of hostel beds available throughout the country, the Government's integrated strategy on homelessness, was launched last year recognised the lack of transitional and long-term accommodation for homeless persons as a problem. Many homeless persons have been resident in hostels for long periods of time due to the lack of more suitable alternative accommodation.
As part of the strategy, local authorities, in conjunction with health boards and voluntary bodies, are now drawing up three year local action plans to tackle homelessness. The provision of transitional and long-term accommodation, to enable homeless persons move out of hostel accommodation, and thereby free up hostel spaces, will be a major element of these plans. The plans for Dublin, Limerick and Cork have been completed and work is well under way on finalising plans for other areas. To enable this additional accommodation to be provided, capital spending by local authorities on accommodation for homeless persons is to be doubled from £20 million to £40 million over the five years 2001-06 and voluntary bodies will also continue to provide additional accommodation for homeless persons under the voluntary housing schemes operated by my Department.
Following is a table showing the location of homeless persons' hostels in receipt of funding from local authorities, 2000.