Vol. 426 No. 1
121 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he has taken to identify further accommodation for the homeless, other than the emergency accommodation prepared by the Army at Lower Grangegorman, Dublin 7.
122 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he has taken to date to set up the 24 hour emergency referral system for the homeless seeking accommodation in Dublin.
123 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the formal involvement, consultation and liaison mechanisms, if any, he has established in order to work effectively with the voluntary organisations working with the homeless in Dublin.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 to 123, inclusive, together.
The identification of further accommodation to cater for any overflow from the emergency accommodation prepared by the Army at Lower Grangegorman and the development of referral services for homeless persons are matters, in the first instance, for Dublin Corporation and the Eastern Health Board who are jointly pursuing these issues.
The guidelines issued by my Department to housing authorities in May 1991 in relation to the accommodation needs of homeless persons requested authorities to establish formal and ongoing liaison arrangements with voluntary bodies providing accommodation for homeless persons in their areas. In this connection, Dublin Corporation has established a Housing Forum which includes representatives of the local authorities in Dublin, the Eastern Health Board and voluntary bodies working on behalf of homeless persons in the area and which meets on a regular basis.
