Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
356. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request that the publication of annual figures by the Housing Agency related to those availing or requesting housing support are segregated by disability or specialised housing need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46485/21]
View answerDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are set out in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) published by the Housing Agency. The purpose of the SSHA is to capture the total number of households qualified for social housing support across the country whose social housing need has not yet been met, in order to better understand the level of need for such support.
Below is the link to the summary report for 2020 which includes breakdowns by each local authority, across a range of categories, including details on households whose main need for social housing support arises from a disability.
A breakdown of the categories of disability is available in Figure 2.5 and Table A 1.5 of the report, and is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/970ea-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2020-key-findings/.
It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.
Allocations by individual local authorities of accommodation to households with members who have a disability are not published by the Housing Agency. However, the total number of allocations and the breakdown of same on the basis of disability type is published in the Annual Report of the Implementation Group for the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD). The 2019 report is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/40855-sixth-progress-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-national-housing-strategy-for-people-with-a-disability-2011-2016/. The report for 2020 is expected to be available shortly.
