Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 1

Written Answers - Homeless Persons.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

98 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason the figures on homelessness which were compiled by local authorities in March 2002 as part of the assessment of housing needs have not yet been published; when it is planned to publish them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8740/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

According to the 2002 local authority assessment of housing needs, a total of 2,468 homeless households were assessed as being in need of, and suitable for, local authority housing. The breakdown of these figures by local authority area was published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletin in September 2002.

A further separate assessment of the total number of homeless people, whether seeking local authority housing or not, was also carried out by local authorities in co-operation with the voluntary housing organisations as part of the assess ment of housing need and is currently being finalised. As well as the 2,468 households who are seeking local authority housing and for whom local authority housing is appropriate, this assessment includes people who are living in long-term supported accommodation for homeless people and are not seeking alternative accommodation.

Discrepancies were found between the outcome of the assessment carried out by Dublin City Council and a separate count carried out in relation to Dublin city by the ESRI for the Homeless Agency. In order to clarify the issue, it was decided that the council and the Homeless Agency would undertake a joint assessment of homelessness in the city in January 2003. The outcome of this assessment is currently being finalised by the city council, and, following its receipt, I hope to be in a position to include further data on homelessness figures in the Annual Housing Bulletin 2002 which is due to be published shortly.