Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Feb 1991

Vol. 404 No. 8

Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

104 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment if, in the light of criticisms by the National Campaign for the Homeless that the numbers of homeless people were underestimated by local authorities in their assessments of 1989, he will outline the way in which he proposes to improve the methods employed to estimate the total numbers of homeless people who should be catered for under the Housing Act, 1988.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

105 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment the reason moneys set aside for spending under section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988 were not fully expended; the names of the local authorities which drew down this money and the action he intends to take to ensure that such a situation does not arise again in 1991.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

106 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of his long term strategy for the elimination of homelessness in Ireland.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 105 and 106 together.

I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 8et al of 6 February, 1991.

An assessment under section 9 of the Housing Act 1988 relates to the number of persons in need of and seeking local authority housing. This was the basis of the assessments at 30 September, 1989; homeless persons not seeking local authority housing were not included.

Housing authorities have now been directed to carry out their next assessment under section 9 to determine the needs at 31 March 1991. The authorities have been requested to avail of the opportunity presented by the assessment under section 9 to assess separately the level of homelessness in their areas to which they may have to respond, whether by local authority housing or, if such housing is not immediately available, by use of their powers under section 10 of the Act.

The underspending in the 1989 and 1990 provision for the making of recoupments under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 was due to the fact that the level of claims made by housing authorities fell short of the provision each year. No expenditure arose in 1988 as section 10 was not brought into operation until 1 January, 1989.

The housing authorities to which recoupment was made in 1989 and 1990 are those set out in the reply to Question No. 320 of 30-1-91.