Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 July 2013
57. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his targets for the delivery of the homelessness strategy; the short and medium-term goals for the ending of long-term homelessness; and any deadlines related to these goals. [33778/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in respect of homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility regarding the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities. Expenditure on homeless accommodation and related services of approximately €50 million will be funded by my Department and housing authorities in 2013. While it is clear that a proportion of funding must be used to provide sufficient bed capacity to accommodate those in need of emergency accommodation, it is equally important that resources are channelled to deliver more permanent responses in a more focused and strategic way.
When I published the homelessness policy statement in February, I outlined the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016.
The statement emphasises a housing-led approach which is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. The availability and supply of secure, affordable and adequate housing is essential in ensuring sustainable tenancies and ending long-term homelessness. A set of indicators will be used to demonstrate the dynamics of homelessness as it is addressed. These indicators will give a clearer picture of homelessness in Ireland and, in quantifying its ongoing extent, will support the introduction of realistic and practical solutions.
The arrangements for devolving funding to tackle homelessness to the lead housing authority in each of the nine regions in 2013 will seek to ensure the measures being pursued by housing authorities reflect the housing-led approach, that actions are in place to achieve the target of ending long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 and that evidence to support progress will be presented through the reports on the indicators.
I thank the Minister of State. Focus Ireland has recently stated the number of people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes and seek support from the charity has increased by 23% over two years from 6,500 in 2010 to more than 8,000 last year. Recently, it warned that the continued impact of the recession and additional factors, including a feared increase in the number of family homes being repossessed due to the new code of conduct on mortgage arrears, will mean many more people and families will be at risk of homelessness.
The Minister of State said there would be a multifaceted and housing-led approach to homelessness. How will that work in the short and medium term? The use of rental supplement does not provide permanent housing. It is one part of the plan, in conjunction with local authorities.
There are different needs in terms of homelessness. There are people with mental health difficulties and those who have nowhere else to go. Homelessness involves a multitude of factors. Are the 2016 targets realistic? Meeting them will be very difficult unless we produce more social housing. NAMA is not delivering quickly enough one way or another on the amount of social housing it is providing.
The Minister of State referred to 400 homes, and 100 more are promised in addition to the 280 in place. We are not delivering housing quickly enough. I have seen an increase in homelessness. Placement units have reported that an increasing number of people are coming to them. It is clear many people are sleeping rough. We need to have more goals and to make social housing available. Until we do so, we will not be able to address the multitude of problems encountered by those experiencing homelessness.
I agree with the Deputy that this is very challenging and that there has been an increase in the number of people presenting as homeless. That is why we have been so focused on a housing-led policy. Research has shown it is a much more effective way of ensuring people settle in a home with the necessary supports and do not, as has happened in the past, present repeatedly as homeless. We want a more long-term solution that works for the people which the Deputy correctly said often have very complex problems. I am working very closely with service providers and the agencies to which the Deputy referred.
We will build more social housing as soon as we can. I will continue to make the case for social housing under stimulus packages. I believe in that very strongly. In the meantime, we have to use the various methods to which the Deputy referred, such as the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. We have to provide support, which is something I also feel strongly about. There may need to be visits to ensure someone is all right, people may need to liaise with the health services, and so forth.
With regard to repossessions, the mortgage-to-rent scheme will address some, but not all, of the cases where people qualify for social housing area and are in danger of repossession. The number of mortgage-to-rent homes has increased in recent times. Things were slow to start because it was a new scheme.
One of the major concerns is youth homelessness. A strategy was announced. Many single people are living in their parents' homes or living rough and moving from place to place. We are not seeing the full extent of the problem. A single person has little or no chance of being housed because there are more than 98,000 families on housing waiting lists. We need to examine youth homelessness. The problem needs to be addressed in a more rigorous manner because some people will end up in long-term homelessness. In many cases we need to urgently tackle short-term homelessness.
I have liaised, and will continue to liaise, with the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, who published a document on youth homelessness. The voluntary sector is particularly effective in the area. It has worked very hard in terms of provision but there are ongoing issues.
