Written Answers. - Charitable Housing Organisations.
Emmet Stagg
Question:
870
Mr. Stagg
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
if his attention has been drawn to an organisation (details supplied) which advertises its services, that is, housing, social welfare benefits and so on, amongst the elderly Irish community in Britain; if this organisation is limited in its organisation to a location (details supplied); if no available housing stock has been vacant for returning emigrants; if his attention has been drawn to the number of staff employed by the organisation here or in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27165/02]
Emmet Stagg
Question:
872
Mr. Stagg
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 17 December 2002, if he will now establish the number of persons on the Mayo County Council waiting list arising from the failure of Safe Home to provide the promised accommodation under the capital assistance scheme; the circumstances which led to persons (details supplied) being refused such accommodation and being now on the County Mayo processing waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27168/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 870 and 872 together.
While Safe Home is an approved voluntary housing body, it has not undertaken any project under my Department's voluntary housing schemes. Under the amendment made to the terms of the capital assistance scheme in November 2001, up to 25% of accommodation in new projects provided throughout the country by individual voluntary housing bodies with funding under the scheme may be allocated to elderly returning emigrants who satisfy eligibility criteria in relation to their present circumstances and are included in the Safe Home waiting list. Safe Home carries out a co-ordinating role liaising with relevant individual voluntary housing bodies throughout the country in relation to accommodation for eligible elderly emigrants who are included in their waiting list.
Any emigrant for whom accommodation is provided under the scheme is advised by Safe Home of the date on which the accommodation will be available for occupation ensuring that accommodation is available to the emigrant on his or her return. I understand that Safe Home advises all potential returning emigrants who contact them, including those providing their own accommodation, to ensure that accommodation is available for occupation by them before returning.
The question of persons being included in a local authority waiting list due to any failure on the part of Safe Home to directly provide accommodation under the scheme or because accommodation provided for a returning emigrant by any other approved housing body under the scheme is not available for the person on return should therefore not arise.
The information available to my Department is that in January, 2000 Safe Home was established on a pilot basis under the umbrella of Mulranny Day Centre Housing Company Limited to provide information and practical advice to emigrants considering returning to this country. I understand that it was not the practice at that stage for Safe Home to arrange or identify accommodation for emigrants wishing to return and that its function at that stage was purely one of providing advice. I also understand that Safe Home offers its advice service to emigrants who wish to return to any part of the State and its service is not restricted to persons wishing to return to any particular area.
I am informed that Safe Home was approached in late 2000 on behalf of the persons to whom the question refers to assist in providing accommodation for them as it was intimated that they were being evicted from their social housing accommodation in Britain and that they wished to move to this country because they had no alternative accommodation to go to. I understand that, due to the particular circumstances of the case, following this approach Safe Home agreed to assist the persons involved. I am informed that they were initially offered emergency accommodation in high support accommodation in St Brendan's Village, Mulranny, which is managed by Mulranny Day Centre Housing Company Limited, as a temporary measure until they could be provided with low support accommodation in an extension to the village which was then proposed and for which a planning application had at that stage been made.
I am also informed that shortly before the two individuals involved were due to move, Safe Home identified a three bedroom flat in Mulranny Village which was considered suitable for their needs. I understand that they agreed to accept the accommodation in preference to the high support accommodation and it was rented on their behalf with necessary modifications to the premises being arranged to take account of the special needs of the two people involved.
I understand that when it emerged that planning permission for additional low support units at St. Brendan's Village was refused, the possibility of the two people being considered for a future vacancy in the existing low support units in the village was raised with them. I understand, however, that having inspected that accommodation, the two persons deemed it unsuitable for their needs on the grounds that a one bedroom unit would be too small and they indicated that they wished to remain in the rented accommodation where they then resided and where they continue to reside.
In relation to the number of staff employed by Safe Home, I understand that the organisation has two full time staff based in Mulranny and a full time development officer who works part of her time in Britain and for the remaining part in this country. In addition, I understand that the organisation avails of the services of three volunteers in this country and eight based in Britain, all on a part-time basis.
Emmet Stagg
Question:
871
Mr. Stagg
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
the amount of funding provided from his Department or through Mayo County Council to the Safe Home Programme in Mulranny, County Mayo; the purpose of the funding in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27166/02]
Some €60,000 in grant in aid was provided by my Department directly to Safe Home Programme Limited in 2002 towards its administrative and running costs. No other funding has been provided directly by my Department or through Mayo County Council to the Safe Home programme.
Question No. 872 answered with Question No. 870.
