Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2005
74 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the actions his Department intends to take to address the fact that single persons, and single males in particular, are disproportionately represented on the housing waiting lists and face far greater difficulties in attempting to secure social housing. [36585/05]
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Single persons who are unable to provide housing for themselves from their own resources are entitled to apply for social housing which is provided by either a local authority or a voluntary housing body. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to decide on the allocation of houses to single persons and other categories on their waiting lists in accordance with their schemes of letting priorities, my Department continues to advise local authorities of the need to provide a reasonable mix of dwellings suited to the different kinds of households already on waiting lists and to plan their future programmes taking account of the estimated size and type of households likely to be seeking housing in the future.
75 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of move-on accommodation units, designed to help formerly homeless persons prepare themselves for independent living available here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36600/05]
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My Department recoups to local authorities 90% of their expenditure on the provision of accommodation-related services for homeless persons, including those in move-on accommodation. In 2004, recoupment was made in respect of 586 move-on units.
In addition, accommodation was accessed for formerly homelessness persons by means of social housing units provided directly by local authorities or voluntary bodies. Units were also sourced in the private sector by users of homelessness services themselves, by resettlement services provided by the statutory and voluntary services and by the housing access unit, operated by Threshold on behalf of the Homeless Agency. A number of these units would have involved the provision of an element of ongoing support. A breakdown of these categories is not readily available in my Department.
Renewed focus is now being placed on the provision of long-term accommodation, together with the supports necessary to enable homeless persons to move into independent living. Local authorities are being urged to address this issue both with regard to their own accommodation and in discussions with the voluntary sector active in the housing area. Initiatives currently being undertaken in a number of areas regarding the provision of tenancy sustainment services will assist in this process. I am confident that we will see a significant increase in assistance to homeless persons under these headings from now on.
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 2005 is €51 million. This brings to €240 million the total funding available from my Department for this purpose since the implementation of the integrated strategy in 2000. In addition, some €106 million was provided by the Department of Health and Children for care-related services in the same period.
