Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1991

Vol. 410 No. 2

Written Answers. - Report on Homelessness.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

155 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment if he will publish the results of assessment of the scale of homelessness carried out by local authorities and due to have been completed by 31 March 1991; if so, when; and if they will include (1) the precise definition of homelessness adopted in the assessment, (2) the methodology used by each local authority in drawing up the figures and (3) the level of consultation which each local authority had with voluntary organisations which provide accommodation or work with homeless people.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

156 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment if he will publish the reports which local authorities have been instructed to make by 31 May 1991 in regard to establishing formal and on-going liaison agreement with voluntary bodies providing accommodation for homeless people; and if so, when.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together.

Returns have not yet been received from all housing authorities on the level of homelessness in their areas or the liaison arrangements which they have made with voluntary bodies providing accommodation for homeless persons. Those coming within the terms of the definition of homeless persons in section 2 of the Housing Act, 1988, may be regarded as homeless for the purpose of the assessment.

Housing authorities were advised, in undertaking the assessment, to have regard to the appropriate provisions of the guidelines for the accommodation of homeless persons issued by my Department and, in particular, to the importance of consultation and liaison with health boards and voluntary bodies working on behalf of homeless persons. They were also advised to give adequate and timely notice to such bodies of the making of the assessment and that any communication received in response to such notice should be taken fully into account in making the assessment.