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Homeless Persons Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Questions (699)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

699. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the latest calls to combat child homelessness by an organisation (details supplied) including ensuring that all local authorities have the capacity to put the best interests of child at the heart of their response to families that are homeless; if he will establish a specific taskforce to review the impact of housing insecurity on one-parent families and develop appropriate solutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21262/22]

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Written answers

Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland commits to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and provides detail on how the Government is approaching this as a priority. Housing for All includes eighteen distinct actions on homelessness. Two of these actions relate specifically to the provision of supports for families and children and in enabling their exit from homelessness. There is a commitment to enhance family support and prevention and early intervention services for children and their families through a multi-agency and coordinated response, and the dissemination of innovative practice. There is also a commitment to identify and provide enhanced tenancy sustainment supports to families experiencing long-term homelessness to help them exit from homelessness and maintain their homes. These actions are being delivered with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

Cooperation through joined-up policy and action are key to addressing all forms of homelessness.  A key initiative that I have put in place is the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC), which I chair and which meets on a quarterly basis. NHAC is a cross-governmental and inter-agency oversight group with membership drawn from key Departments, State agencies and bodies involved in addressing homelessness. The overarching objective of NHAC is to drive delivery of homeless actions, including those under the Government’s Housing for All plan.  

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 the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, with additional supports, including the provision of family supports, provided to families by Tusla.

Local authorities are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. Lone parents are entitled to access all of the housing support delivery mechanisms on an equal basis with all other citizens.

The increases in family homelessness seen in recent months are a serious concern for my Department and for the Government. We are acting to address this – in the short term and strategically over the months and years ahead. Over 5,200 adults and their dependant children exited homelessness in 2021. All of these exits were to homes with tenancies.

The Government will continue to prioritise responses for all families, including lone parents, experiencing homelessness and this is being reflected in both strategic policy and in specific actions.

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