Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 January 2016
111. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons accommodated by the new communities unit at Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 during the years 2014 and 2015. [3095/16]
View answerThe New Communities Unit (NCU) of the Department of Social Protection offers assistance to families who are primarily non-Irish, homeless and generally without recourse to any weekly income. The main focus of this unit is to ensure that families entitled to same receive an income maintenance payment, under the terms of the relevant legislation, from the Department. In addition non-Irish homeless families have been referred to this unit directly by the Central Placement Service, operated on behalf of the four local authorities by Dublin City Council, and the staff in the NCU have facilitated booking these people into accommodation sourced and funded by Dublin City Council under Section 10 of the Housing Act (1988).
Information in relation to the number of individuals presenting to the NCU seeking emergency accommodation, and whether or not they are provided with or refused accommodation, is not retained.
With regard to details of customers accommodated however, the managers of the accommodations file returns with a Dublin City Council official and these returns would contain some details of the families concerned.
