Homeless Accommodation Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 February 2014

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Ceisteanna (84)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

84. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the data his Department collects from homeless officers and agencies in each local authority area; if the demographic breakdown of those seeking emergency accommodation due to homelessness has changed to include a greater proportion of couples, couples with children and persons with children; if he has had any consultation with the Department of Social Protection in relation to this trend in advance of the setting up of the new housing assistance payment, HAP, specifically with regard to targeting those who are at risk of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5356/14]

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

Deputy Catherine Murphy

This question concerns the changing nature of homelessness. There is a major crisis in some parts of the country, including my constituency. In 2011 I recall seeing one homeless family and one single homeless person. In the past month alone, however, I have seen five homeless families, with children being taken out of school. They are normal families one would never consider as being homeless. I have been contacted by 18 more people who are within weeks of becoming homeless. Kildare County Council tells me some 50 families have sought emergency accommodation so far this year. I am talking about families, not single persons. The council has stated the situation is the worst it has ever seen. The issue is really urgent at this stage.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O'Sullivan)

In February 2013, I published the Government’s homelessness policy statement and at that time I announced a set of indicators to 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 bringing forward of realistic and practical solutions. The pathway accommodation and support system, PASS, was extended nationally in 2013 and is now operational nationwide. It will assist housing authorities to report on these indicators and 2014 will be the first year for which PASS will produce composite national data on homelessness. These reports will be published on my Department's website as soon as they are available.

The homelessness oversight group, which I established in 2013 for the purposes of reviewing the progress of the approach advocated in the statement, identifying obstacles and proposing solutions, has submitted its first report to me. The report considered information on the homeless population. I am considering this report and its recommendations and I will consult with my Government colleagues on the implementation of these recommendations, as appropriate. A copy of the report is available on my Department's website. The specific demographic information sought is not available at the moment. What I have said indicates it will be available soon.

On 18 July 2013, the Government approved the introduction of the housing assistance payment, HAP. My Department and the Department of Social Protection continue to work closely on the legal, policy and operational issues involved in developing and introducing HAP including adopting a reasonable approach to implementation, which could prioritise certain groups such as the long-term unemployed or those who are homeless or in danger of homelessness, in the early stages.

Deputy Catherine Murphy

I have drawn the attention of the Minister of State to the local authority housing waiting list. Some six local authority areas make up 50% of the waiting list, which accounts for 90,000 individuals or families. The areas are Dublin city, Cork city, south Dublin, Fingal, Kildare and Cork county. At the same time, rents in those areas are some of the highest in the country. The rent assistance being provided is below market rent and, between that and the administrative difficulties in getting rent assistance, if there is a choice a landlord can make about who to take, the people on the waiting list dependent on rent assistance are on a hiding to nothing in an environment where there is a shortage of houses to rent.

I accept the Minister of State is answering the question in respect of methodology but I am not interested in collecting statistics. I am interested in solutions for people who come into my office and offices in the areas where there is a crisis. People must take children out of schools and try to find inadequate accommodation somewhere else. There is a crisis in some parts of the country and an urgent response is needed.

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan

I have listened to the Deputy in respect of the local authority areas with the longest waiting lists and the most urgent problem. I said that in allocating funding, we will put a major focus on those local authorities. We will announce funding in the relatively near future in respect of housing construction and the provision of social housing. Rental caps are the responsibility of the Department of Social Protection but we are working on the introduction of the housing assistance payment. Of the 90,000 people on waiting lists, about half of them are in receipt of rent supplement. We are moving as quickly as possible. My officials had a meeting with the Department of Social Protection officials this morning in respect of homelessness and the implementation of the recommendations of the oversight group. I will bring proposals to Government shortly. It concerns integrating across Departments, including the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Community Local Government.

Deputy Catherine Murphy

It is about cross-party co-operation. Does the Minister accept we are talking about a different type of homelessness when we see families with children who are homeless as a consequence of a shortage of accommodation? It has a knock-on effect that will be picked up through the damage done to children because of the crisis in their families. They do not know where they will be in a week or two. Now, a different group is being affected. I have never experienced it in the long time I have been a public representative, mostly at local government level.

This is an entirely different position, and I hope there is acceptance at the Government level that this is an emerging crisis. It has already started in some locations.

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan

Deputy Murphy's question was statistical in nature but I acknowledge that, as far as we know, there has been an increase in the number of families declaring themselves homeless or becoming homeless. It is a cause for serious concern. There is the social investment programme, which is directed at families, and it currently operates as a pilot in the Dublin area. It specifically addresses the needs of families becoming homeless, and it is operating this year. The Deputy is raising a real and genuine issue.

We are supplying housing in whatever way we can and there will be approximately 5,000 new housing units this year across a variety of forms. We will continue to use the resources as well as we can to address the needs out there. I acknowledge that certain local authorities, including Kildare, are particularly challenged with these issues.