Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 3

Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

290 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of homeless persons sleeping rough in Dublin; the total and the increase over recent years; if his attention has been drawn to concerns that people sleeping rough will die of cold and exposure this winter; if his attention has been further drawn to concerns about the spread of illness such as TB among people living in such conditions; if he has surveyed accommodation capacity in publicly owned buildings such as barracks to provide shelter to those sleeping rough; if he will contact the Department of Defence regarding a request to Defence Forces or Civil Defence personnel to become involved in this area as was done some years ago when two homeless people were found dead of hypothermia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22225/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

A survey carried out by the Dublin Simon Community in conjunction with Dublin Corporation in June 1998 indicated that there were 208 people sleeping rough in the Dublin area. A further survey, on behalf of the Homeless Initiative, in March 1999 indicated that there were 275 people sleeping rough in the Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow area. Most of these were in the Dublin area.

The Dublin local authorities are responsible for the provision of accommodation for homeless people in their area. The Eastern Health Board operates a referral service on behalf of the local authorities to arrange emergency accommodation, whether in hostel, bed and breakfast or other accommodation, for homeless persons. Dublin Corporation, in whose area the majority of homeless people are located, has a cold weather strategy to increase the supply of accommodation, including the establishment of a night-time drop-in service, operated by Crosscare, for homeless people during the winter months. The corporation is also pursuing a strategy to assist homeless people back into independent living or into sheltered housing accommodation with the objective of freeing up emergency hostel accommodation.

The arrangement some years ago with the Department of Defence for the running of emergency accommodation for homeless people was of a temporary nature and was superseded by an arrangement made between Dublin Corporation and the Salvation Army for the running of the emergency accommodation which was located in a building at Lower Grangegorman owned by the Eastern Health Board. In 1998 the emergency accommodation service was transferred to a premises purchased and redeveloped by Dublin Corporation and operated by the Salvation Army on behalf of the corporation.

Dublin Corporation is continuously engaged in seeking to identify and acquire premises which would be suitable as both emergency and sheltered accommodation for homeless people. My Department provides 100 per cent capital funding to the corporation in respect of the acquisition and redevelopment costs involved.