Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 October 2016
22. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the provisions in place to attempt to tackle the issue of child and youth homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23037/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the progress to date in combatting the most urgent and pressing issues contributing to the housing crisis, with particular reference to the extent to which the local authorities are making a rapid and substantial contribution to alleviation of the crisis in the form of an immediate response to homelessness and the use of emergency accommodation to accommodate families; the progress in respect of the medium to long-term housing plan, with particular reference to local authorities meeting explicit targets in terms of annual building programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28692/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra68. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to tackle child homelessness in the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23029/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 51 and 68 together.
The solution to the challenge of homelessness is to increase the supply of homes as envisioned under Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness. The Action Plan, published on 19 July 2016, aims to deliver 47,000 units of social housing over the period to 2021 through construction, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing, supported by Exchequer investment of some €5.35 billion.
The Plan also provides for early solutions to address the unacceptable level of families in emergency accommodation, including the objective that by mid-2017, hotels will only be used for emergency accommodation in very limited circumstances. The increases in Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment levels from 1 July 2017, in terms of supporting families to remain in rented accommodation, will play an important role in the achievement of this overall objective. However where families do find themselves in a homeless situation their needs will be met through the enhanced Housing Assistance Payment, general social housing allocations, as well as by the additional housing supply to be delivered through an expanded Rapid-Build housing programme and a Housing Agency initiative to acquire 1,600 vacant housing units.
The Action Plan also outlines the Government’s commitment to ensure that services are fully responsive to the particular needs that might arise for families with dependants that are residing in emergency accommodation with a number of measures to be overseen by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. These measures include the appointment of a Dedicated Child Support Worker, assistance by Home School Community Liaison and School Completion staff, and access to crèches and preschool services.
Also contained in the Plan is a cross-Government action to ensure that young people leaving State care and at risk of homelessness are identified and catered for through appropriate housing and other supports appropriate for their needs. My Department will allocate specific funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme for the accommodation needs, while the health and independent living supports will be provided by the HSE, Tusla and expert NGOs.
With regard to housing delivery, all local authority areas already have targets out to 2017. New targets, reflecting the increased ambition of Rebuilding Ireland, will be issued based on the Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2016, which is now well advanced and will provide updated figures of national housing need in all local authority areas. This will allow for social housing delivery and resources to be aligned with priority need. In the meantime, social housing building programmes across all local authorities are well underway and will be ramped up in line with the new targets.
As outlined in Rebuilding Ireland, continued collaborative engagement and co-ordinated implementation and delivery will be essential to ensure that the ambition of the plan is fully realised. A dedicated Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach, has been established to oversee both the development and implementation of the plan. Progress reports on implementation of Rebuilding Ireland will be published on a quarterly basis and the initial Q3 2016 progress report is currently being compiled.
