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Homeless Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022

Tuesday, 10 May 2022

Questions (373)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

373. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the difference between the Quality Standards Framework that applies to voluntary sector homeless emergency accommodation and the Quality Standards Framework as it applied to private providers of emergency homeless accommodation in tabular form. [23246/22]

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Written answers

The Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons.

The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) is in place nationally for local authority and NGO delivered services, and is designed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the quality of services provided.  

In summary there are 8 themes under which the NQSF standards are organised. Themes 1-4 focus on the provision of person centred services, which are safe and effective, and support the rights and equal treatment of persons at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Themes 5-8 focus on the organisational capability and capacity to deliver high quality services. 

As a number of facilities are operated privately in the Dublin Region, the DRHE have adapted the NQSF standards in order to apply their provisions to private emergency accommodation.  As happened with the NGO sector, this will involve a scaling up of standards over time. The Quality Standards for private emergency accommodation are framed under the same eight themes in the NQSF. The standards inform service users as to what they can expect from homeless services and ensures that service providers are clear in their responsibility to delivery safe, effective and consistently high standard services.  Under the Quality Standards for Private Emergency Accommodation, the owner/operator are responsible for the physical standards and the visiting support teams responsible for the support and case management standards. It is understood that the DRHE appointed a Development Officer in January 2022, to roll out these standards in private emergency accommodation and to co-ordinate training with the HSE for staff working in these settings. The Development Officer will also co-ordinate quarterly key performance indicator (KPI) returns. 

In Dublin the oversight and operation of standards is a matter for the DRHE.   Both the NQSF and Quality Standards for Private Emergency Accommodation are available on the DRHE website at www.homelessdublin.ie/info/publications?type=&year=&keyword=quality+standards

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