Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
148. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he will take to address the lack of homeless accommodation available in Tallaght; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6749/24]
View answerStatutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.
While responsibility for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with a lead authority in place for each region. In this instance, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead statutory local authority in the response to homelessness in Dublin and adopts a shared service approach across South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. 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 local authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
My Department does not fund homeless service directly but rather contributes towards overall costs incurred by local authorities in the provision of services.
