Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022
331. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress of his work to tackle homelessness in counties Longford and Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3583/22]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes for which costs may be incurred by housing authorities in respect of the provision of homeless accommodation and related services.
While responsibility for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with a lead authority in place for each region. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the range of emergency accommodation services and funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum. It is a matter for the management group of the consultative forum, in the first instance, to determine the homeless accommodation services required, the operation of such services and the funding required in each region.
Under Housing for All, the Government has committed to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030. The plan includes 18 distinct actions tailored to eliminate homelessness. These actions recognise that individuals experiencing homelessness have additional support needs and include specific measures to address these needs. These include measures to engage with and support rough sleepers into sustainable accommodation, the continued expansion of the Housing First programme, a focus on the construction and acquisition of one-bed homes, and, importantly, ensuring provision of the necessary health and mental health supports required to assist homeless people with complex needs.
The new Housing First National Implementation Plan 2022-2026 was published in December 2021. Under the plan, an additional 1,319 supported tenancies are to be delivered over the next five years, with specific annual targets for each region now set out in the plan.
Increasing the supply of housing, particularly new build social and affordable homes, is a key priority of this Government. Under Housing for All there are specific and costed plans to increase supply across all tenure types, including very significant commitments to social and affordable housing, with over 90,000 social homes and 36,000 affordable and 18,000 cost rental homes to be delivered by 2030. €4 billion in capital is being invested annually on social and affordable housing. This is the largest housing programme in the history of the State.
Housing for All specifically provides for the establishment of a National Homeless Action Committee. The primary objective of the Committee is to bring together key Government Departments, agencies and stakeholders to oversee the implementation of the homeless inter-agency measures committed to under Housing for All and to ensure coherence and co-ordination of homeless related services in delivering policy measures and actions. The first meeting took place on 20 December 2021.
Additionally, new guidance was issued in December 2021 to local authorities on the preparation of local Homelessness Action Plans. This guidance is to support the implementation of Housing for All, in particular, in respect of the policy provisions and actions on homelessness.
