Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2022
252. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ringfence some social housing for persons coming out of care (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61012/22]
View answerThe allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011. This legislation requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme which specifies, among other things, the manner of, and the order of priority for, the allocation of dwellings to households on the housing and transfer lists.
I am aware that people with care experience are unfortunately at a heightened risk of homelessness. My Department published a protocol in 2014 which clarified the roles of Tusla and Housing authorities and outlined the practical steps involved in assessing a young person leaving State care and managing that person's accommodation and support needs. In 2017, my Department issued a circular which provided that, where a local authority is informed by Tusla that there is a need for accommodation for people aged 18-21 (or up to 23 if in education/training) leaving State care and who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, it may invite AHBs to apply for CAS funding to provide appropriate accommodation.
In response to the increase in the number of people aged 18 - 24 experiencing homelessness, my Department recently published a new national Youth Homelessness Strategy. The Strategy sets out 27 distinct actions with three main strategic aims:
To prevent young people from entering homelessness;
To improve the experiences of young people in accessing emergency accommodation; and
To assist young people in exiting homelessness.
This Strategy identifies six cohorts who are particularly vulnerable to experiencing homelessness and who are disproportionately represented in the young homeless population. These cohorts include young people with care experience, disabled people, young parents, members of the LGBTI+ community, members of the Traveller community, and young people leaving prison. The Strategy sets out specific actions to help each of these vulnerable cohorts. For those leaving care, the specific actions are:
- Tusla to finalise its Strategic Plan for Aftercare 2023-2025, which will align with the Youth Homelessness Strategy, as well as contain a commitment to an integrated approach to implementing key recommendations on the provision of an appropriate continuum of accommodation for young people with care experience; and
- Review and update Housing Circular 46/2014 on the Protocol on Young People Leaving State Care.
Other actions in the Strategy which apply to all young people, including those leaving care, include the development of homelessness prevention programmes; the enhancement of connectivity between local authorities and Tusla; the specific inclusion of young people in regional Homelessness Action Plans; and the development of a pilot model of a housing-led intervention for young people: Supported Housing for Youth (SHY). My Department is now in the process of establishing a Steering Group to drive the delivery of the actions set out in the Strategy.
