Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
2100. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that the staff in the new communities unit have booked into emergency accommodation, by month, in 2016 and to date in 2017. [28810/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware from previous PQ responses on this matter, the New Communities Unit (NCU) of the Department of Social Protection offers assistance to families who are primarily non-Irish, homeless and generally without recourse to any weekly income. The main focus of the unit is to ensure that families who are entitled an income maintenance payment receive same, under the terms of the relevant legislation. In addition, non-Irish homeless families have been referred to this unit directly by the Central Placement Service, operated on behalf of the four local authorities by Dublin City Council, and the staff in the NCU facilitated booking these people into emergency accommodation. This accommodation is sourced and funded by Dublin City Council under Section 10 of the Housing Act (1988). The practice, whereby staff in the NCU act as booking agents in such circumstances, was a residual one from when the NCU was based in the HSE.
Information in relation to the number of persons booked to emergency accommodation by the NCU was neither collated nor retained by the NCU. In facilitating the booking of people to emergency accommodation, the NCU contacted the accommodation provider directly to make the booking. Notification in relation to those persons accommodated in emergency accommodation is part of the reporting relationship between the accommodation provider and its funder; the NCU did not have a role in this.
The booking function was transferred to the Central Placement Service on the 22nd May 2017. The NCU has had no housing placement function for homeless persons from that date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
