Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
592. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will direct all local authorities to record the number of families and individuals who make contact with them on the basis that they consider themselves to be homeless, and the outcome in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36110/23]
View answerUnder the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.
My Department publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly performance reports include details of the numbers of individuals prevented from entering emergency accommodation, and those exiting emergency accommodation into tenancies and the duration of stay in emergency accommodation. The quarterly progress report summarises the data submitted to the Department.
The most recent published data is in respect of Q1 2023 and the report is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/ . Furthermore, at this link you will find the collated regional quarterly performance reports that include details of the number of new family/new single presentations and repeat family/repeat single presentations on a daily basis.
