Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2017
627. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if persons residing in direct provision centres are considered in need of housing; if they are included in homelessness figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30786/17]
View answerThe households concerned are not entitled to Social Housing Support (SHS) as they do not have residency rights in the State. It is only after their application for residency has been successfully assessed that they can be considered for SHS.
The assessment of applications for SHS is the responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations. There is a two pronged approach to the assessment that involves, firstly, an assessment of eligibility, followed by an assessment of need. The determination of a household's housing need is arrived at by local authorities in accordance with Regulation 23 of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011.
The official monthly homelessness reports are produced using data provided by housing authorities via the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. Therefore they do not capture details of individuals in other accommodation arrangements which are not overseen by housing authorities. Information on the number of persons in Direct Provision are available from the Department of Justice.
