The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for the policy in relation to homelessness. However, this Department has a role in providing income support to persons who are homeless and also engages through its work in the Homeless Persons Unit to facilitate persons to access private rented accommodation.
Under the social welfare system, homeless people have entitlements to the full range of social welfare schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance and associated supplements, subject to the normal qualifying conditions. There is no requirement on persons presenting as homeless to provide two nights’ hostel receipts in order to receive a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.