Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 1

Written Answers - Youth Homelessness.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

190 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of homeless children in each health board area; the accommodation provided by each health board for children who are homeless; and the additional resources, if any, being provided to each health board to provide additional accommodation to tackle the problem. [5659/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

The nature and extent of the problem of homeless young people varies between health boards and between community care areas. Because of the transient nature of the problem and the transient lifestyle of some young people it is difficult to estimate the number of homeless young people throughout Ireland. However, it is recognised that the problem is most acute in the Eastern Health Board region. On average 12 young people per night present to the social work service operating outside normal office hours and the Eastern Health Board estimates that 400 young people are out of home in the region each year.

Currently the Eastern Health Board has a total of 160 emergency places available to care for out of home young people. These include 44 emergency/short-term residential placements, 29 emergency carer families and 87 supported lodgings placements.

The board also operates a day project which offers care, welfare and recreation support for up to ten young people who are considered to be at risk during the day.

An additional £2 million was approved late in 1997 to the Eastern Health Board to fund a number of initiatives for homeless children in Dublin. This funding will enable the creation of an additional 30 places for homeless young people and the establishment of a day-and-night reception centre in Dublin city centre to facilitate these young people in accessing Eastern Health Board services. The reception centre will have a small number of emergency beds available to homeless young people where no other placement is available. The board also plans to develop a further three localised emergency facilities in suburban areas over the next three years.

The other seven health boards have a range of services to cater for the young homeless in accordance with identified needs and service priorities in their respective regions.

The Midland Health Board provides funding towards a project for disadvantaged youth in Tullamore.

The Mid-Western Health Board has a total of nine emergency residential places available to meet the needs of the young homeless in its region. The board is actively seeking permanent accommodation for the adolescent boys hostel and outreach service for which funding of £220,000 has already been approved.

The North-Eastern Health Board does not have accommodation specifically for the young homeless. Out of home young people are either accommodated in the board's residential care centres or arrangements are made to provide supported lodgings, or supported rented accommodation depending on the young person's needs. The board plans to further develop their residential care service to meet the very troubled adolescents including those who may be homeless.

The North-Western Health Board has a total of eight hostel and emergency accommodation places to cater for the needs of the young homeless in the region. An additional £17,000 revenue funding was made available in 1997 for the board's homeless hostel. At least two additional places for out of home young people will be available in the new children's residential facility in Letterkenny.

The South-Eastern Health Board funds the Dochas service for out of home girls in Waterford which has six places. Other supports such as supported lodgings and supported rented accommodation are also available in the region. An additional £40,000 is being made available in 1998 to develop supervised lodgings placements with approved families. It is also planned to expand the service provided by Dochas.

The Southern Health Board has a range of services to cater for the needs of the young homeless. Four emergency residential placements and six placements in semi-independent accommodation are currently available for girls in the region. The emergency hostel for boys (currently closed for renovation but due to re-open in April/May) will accommodate up to six boys. Other options available are independent accommodation, digs/supervised accommodation and support and advice for homeless adolescents. The board plan to identify additional supervised lodgings placements to cater for the needs of the young homeless.

The Western Health Board provides a service for homeless children in a six bed hostel/ residential facility. Every assistance is given to those who find themselves homeless. The board is endeavouring to address the problem by preventing homelessness in the first place through a process of support services and by placing emphasis on the resettlement of young people who use the residential facility.

Since 1993, and up to the end of 1997 an additional allocation of £43.5 million on an annualised basis has been invested in the development of child care and family support services including services for the young homeless. A further £8 million has been available for this purpose in 1998.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

191 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding, if any, made available by his Department or through a health board in 1997 and in 1998 to each voluntary group or organisation that provide emergency or temporary accommodation for homeless persons. [5660/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the adult homeless is not readily available in my Department. I have sought this information from the health boards and I will communicate with the Deputy when it has been received and collated.

Details of funding made available by health boards to voluntary groups and organisations providing emergency or temporary accommodation for out of home young people in 1997 and 1998 is as follows:

Funding provided to Voluntary Organisation/Groups by Health Board in 1997/1998

Health Board	Name of Organisation/Group	Funding provided in 1997	Funding provided in 1998
		£	£
Eastern*
Midland	Blessed Sacrament Sisters Project for Disadvantaged Youth in Tullamore	18,000 revenue	18,000 revenue
Mid-Western	Good Sheperd Sisters, Rosemount Centre for girls	£111,500 revenue	111,500 revenue
£30,000 once-off
North-Eastern	No Voluntary Organisation involved
North-Western	Teach Trasna, Sligo	67,000 revenue	Not approved as yet
South-Eastern	Dochas Hostel	131,500 revenue	Not approved as yet
Southern	Edel House	123,000 revenue	153,000 revenue
		31,000 once-off
	Riverview	90,000 revenue	90,000 revenue
		3,440 once-off
	Bruac	20,000 revenue	20,000 revenue
	St. Francis Training Centre	46,000 revenue	46,000 revenue
	Pioville	11,000 once-off	50,000 revenue
Western	Rice House	306,270 revenue	318,452 revenue
		8,500 once-off	26,000 once-off

* Details are not available from the Eastern Health Board as yet. I will forward same to the Deputy as soon as they become available. In addition my Department approved a grant of £10,000 to the Focus Ireland Organisation in 1997 toward the costs of a research project on young people leaving care.