Vol. 403 No. 4
207 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment the amount of funds allocated under section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988 for recoupment to local authorities to deal with the homeless, which was unspent; and if he will take steps to ensure that unspent moneys under section 10 can be transferred to management grants as provided under section 5 of the 1988 Act for voluntary housing organisations actually providing services for the homeless.
In 1990, £600,000 was provided to recoup to housing authorities part of their expenditure where they have made arrangements with a voluntary body in accordance with section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988, for the accommodation of homeless persons. To date £75,467 has been authorised for payment to housing authorities from this provision.
The assistance provided under section 5 of the Act is confined to the provision of accommodation by voluntary bodies and there is no scheme of assistance for the management of accommodation, which remains the responsibility of the voluntary body concerned. Accordingly any unspent moneys may not be used in the manner suggested.
