Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 4

Written Answers. - Services for Homeless Persons.

Bernard Allen

Question:

213 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the expenditure which has been allocated by his Department to the provision of services to people who are homeless in 2003; the way in which this is broken down between emergency, transitional, supported and move on accommodation; the number of each type of unit which has been provided and supported; the proportion of the allocation which went to voluntary service providers for recouping the expenditure of local authorities and health boards and to private accommodation providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23493/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

The funding available from my Department for recoupment to local authorities of costs incurred in the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons in 2003 is €50 million. Apart from Dublin and Galway City Councils, to which allocations are formally notified, local authorities submit claims for recoupment to my Department on a periodic basis in respect of expenditure incurred on approved projects. A sum of almost €14 million was allocated to Dublin City Council in respect of expenditure involved in meeting the cost of the following accommodation related services provided by the voluntary sector:

Accommodation	€ million
Emergency	6.034
Transitional	2.858
Long-term Services	1.415
Day services	1.998
Settlement-outreach	1.588

In addition, a sum of €953,000 was provided for new services which will come on stream during 2003. The information requested with regard to the unit type is not available in the Department.

As the provision of bed and breakfast accommodation is by its nature demand led, a specific allocation is not made in its respect. To date in 2003, a sum of €11.6 million has been recouped to the city council in respect of expenditure on bed and breakfast accommodation. An allocation of €1.1 million was notified to Galway City Council in respect of services provided by voluntary bodies. A breakdown of the category or unit type of accommodation involved is not readily available in my Department. To date in 2003, funding has been approved under my Department's capital assistance scheme for the provision of 140 units of accommodation for homeless persons.