Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2015
527. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the number of families who have not previously been involved with any social services and are now experiencing homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27245/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to 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 in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities.
Data on homeless households in emergency accommodation is provided through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). Quarterly reports from lead housing authorities are published on my Department's website as soon as they are available. In addition, lead housing authorities provide monthly reports on homelessness which identify the number of people utilising State-funded emergency accommodation on a regional and county basis. Both the quarterly and monthly reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.
These monthly reports also provide details of the breakdown of the individuals and the numbers of families and dependents that are in emergency accommodation. The monthly reports contain details regarding the number of new families presenting as homeless each month in the Dublin Region only. My Department does not seek information as to whether these families’ details have been cross-referenced with records held by other agencies providing social services.
