I propose to take Questions Nos. 1188 to 1192, inclusive, together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities.
My Department does not have the specific data sought in relation to the time spent in emergency accommodation. The performance reports submitted by the regional lead local authorities provide information on the period spent in emergency accommodation. The most recent reports available are for Quarter 2 2018, which show that at the end of Quarter 2 2018, 48% of adults recorded as being in emergency accommodation at that time, were resident in emergency accommodation for less than 6 months and 52% were resident for more than 6 months.
In relation to family hubs, there are currently 23 family hubs in operation, 19 of which are in Dublin, one in each of Cork, Limerick, Kildare and Louth. These hubs provide 550 units of family accommodation. The operators of the family hubs work with families to support their exit from emergency accommodation into an independent tenancy within a six-month period. My Department does not have a breakdown on the numbers of families who have been accommodated in family hubs or who have left family hubs. My Department's monthly homelessness report includes details of the numbers of individuals and families in emergency accommodation each month. My Department also publishes data on the number of adults who exited homelessness into an independent tenancy, which is provided by the local authorities in their quarterly performance reports. In 2017, 4,729 adults, along with their associated dependents, exited homelessness into an independent tenancy. A further 2,332 adults and their associated dependents exited homelessness in the first six months of 2018. My Department is currently reviewing the format and content of both the monthly and quarterly homelessness reports.