Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 July 2008
865 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the person responsible for inspecting guest houses or hostels used by clients of the Health Service Executive for whom the local authority pays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28355/08]
View answer866 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of clients on average that have been staying at accommodation (details supplied) in County Dublin each month in 2006, 2007, and to date in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28356/08]
View answer867 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the minimum standards required in hostels in which the Health Service Executive clients and where the local authority picks up the bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28357/08]
View answer868 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of hostels in north County Dublin being used by the Health Service Executive to place homeless clients; the location of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28358/08]
View answer869 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason clients were removed from accommodation (detail supplied) in County Dublin before Christmas 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28359/08]
View answerI propose to take Question Nos. 865 to 869, inclusive, together.
My Department provides funding towards accommodation and related costs of adult homeless services by recouping 90% of local authority expenditure for such purposes under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Responsibility for funding care-related costs rests with the HSE. Each local authority has statutory responsibility for addressing homelessness in their area, including emergency accommodation. In the Dublin area, the Homeless Persons Unit, which is administered by Community Welfare staff of the Health Service Executive, also delivers a range of welfare services to homeless persons, including placement into emergency accommodation on behalf of the local authorities.
The addresses of all the hostels used to accommodate homeless persons in the four Dublin local authority areas are listed in the Homelessness Directory 2007 — 2008, published by the Homeless Agency, which co-ordinates services to homeless people in the Dublin area, and on the Agency's website www.homelessagency.ie.
Presuming that the Deputy's question concerning inspections relates to homeless accommodation, I understand from Dublin City Council that properties used to provide emergency accommodation for homeless people must be inspected and passed by a local authority Environmental Health Officer and satisfy all health and safety and fire regulations.
With regard to the property in question, following an inspection it was found to be no longer suitable for use as accommodation for homeless people and its use for that purpose was discontinued at the end of 2007. Details of the numbers of homeless people accommodated in this property in 2006 and 2007 are not held in my Department.
