Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Priority Questions. - Homeless Persons.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

8 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the recent figures produced by Simon Outreach in conjunction with Focus Ireland and Dublin Corporation which showed an increase of 60% in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin city centre over the past three years; the steps he will take to deal with the growing crisis of homelessness in Dublin and in other major urban centres; his plans to provide emergency housing for the homeless over the Christmas 2000 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29428/00]

Mr. Molloy

I am aware of the figures published recently by Simon Outreach which suggested an increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin city centre and I am also aware that there was a degree of selectivity in the data published. The published figures indicated results of counts of homeless persons sleeping rough for 1998 and 1997 but omitted the 1999 results. Moreover, the figures for 1997 and 1998 appear to have been understated.

Had the 1999 figures been included, it would have revealed a significant reduction in the number of homeless persons sleeping rough in the city centre. However, I do not wish to attribute motives behind the omission of one year's data and figures which are open to dispute for earlier years. However, I believe that some reduction in the number of persons sleeping rough in Dublin has been recorded and this is to be welcomed.

Leaving aside the issue of statistics, I am concerned that even one person should be homeless and forced to sleep on the streets of Dublin or anywhere else. The homeless strategy which I launched in May this year called for additional night-time services to be provided for homeless persons, particularly in Dublin. Local authorities are currently preparing action plans which will detail the services that will be provided for homeless persons, including additional facilities and accommodation for people who are forced to sleep rough.

As part of the action plan for Dublin, which is due to be considered by the housing strategic policy committees of the four Dublin authorities shortly, additional facilities and emergency accommodation will be provided for those sleeping rough. However, as it will take some time for these to be put in place, my Department recently asked Dublin Corporation to urgently develop proposals to provide additional night-time service facilities which would provide people on the streets with basic shelter and food at night-time as an emergency interim measure. I am happy that the manager's report to me recently showed that progress is being made on that matter.

Mr. Gilmore

Does the Minister agree that the Simon report was just one of a number of reports on homelessness, all of which show the rate of homelessness is increasing? I refer particularly to the Focus Ireland report. In attempting to downplay the Simon report, is the Minister of State saying that those are all wrong? Is he suggesting that the number of homeless people is in decline rather than increasing, as all reports show?

In a country teeming with money, is the Minister of State not ashamed, given his responsibility for housing, that 1,200 children are homeless in Dublin at present? Is he taking measures to requisition emergency accommodation for those homeless people, particularly now in the run-up to Christmas?

Mr. Molloy

The figures published by Simon were as follows: 2,002 persons in this year's count compared to 149 in 1998 and 125 in 1997. Dublin Corporation claims the actual figure is 202 persons this year in comparison with 261 in 1999, 208 in 1998 and 265 in 1997. I understand that Dublin Corporation has seriously questioned the accuracy of the published comparisons and there are issues to be answered by Simon Outreach – why the 1999 figure was not quoted is puzzling to say the least. This would indicate there was a drop in the numbers of street homeless in the recent count compared to 1999. However, as I indicated in my reply, my main concern—

Mr. Gilmore

What about the Focus Ireland report?

Mr. Molloy

—is that there are homeless people on the street. It is a disgrace that people are living on the streets of any city today or at any time.

Mr. Gilmore

The Minister of State should stop denying it.

Mr. Molloy

I have taken extreme measures to seek to ensure that adequate provision is made for this. We have doubled the capital allocation and increased the current allocation. We have asked the local authorities to draw up housing initiative proposals for the provision of accommodation for the homeless. The Government has done everything it possibly can regarding money and planning to get local authorities to provide these facilities within their areas as quickly as possible. In the Dublin area substantial progress is being made and, as I said, the strategic policy committees will be considering the matter soon.

Regarding the Deputy's last point, special provision is being made in Dublin to deal with the situation in the interim, before the refurbished buildings are available, so temporary accommodation is being provided in the short-term to ensure there is some place for people.

People sleep rough for a variety of reasons, not all of which relate to the availability of accommodation of whatever quality. People sleep rough by choice.

Mr. Yates

The hostels are full.

Mr. Molloy

I agree there are not enough beds at present. We are asking the Dublin city manager to provide emergency accommodation and I understand from him that arrangements are being made to do so. The medium-term plan is being drawn up. It has taken longer than the corporation hoped but it asked me for an extension of time and I felt it better to get it right than force it to meet a deadline. We have agreed to that and I understand the plan is very comprehensive. All the councillors will have sight of it, though most have probably seen it already as it is coming up for discussion soon. There is no shortage of funding but there are difficulties with sites. There is opposition from councillors and the public in certain areas. The route ahead is not straightforward.