Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2018
760. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of homeless persons in County Kildare who have been offered and received accommodation from the local authority in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10109/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra774. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons in emergency accommodation for longer than six months in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10170/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra775. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons in emergency accommodation for longer than six months in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10171/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 760, 774 and 775 together.
My Department publishes reports on a monthly basis regarding the number of individuals utilising emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports include a county breakdown of the homeless adult population. These official homeless reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These monthly reports do not include details with regard to exits and long-term homelessness; such information is provided to my Department quarterly on a regional, rather than county, basis. The administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis as this approach is considered more effective, bringing a strategic perspective to bear on action to address homelessness, including avoidance of over-concentration of homelessness services in certain areas and promoting appropriate regional availability of services, consistent with need. In this regard, Kildare is included in the Mid-East Region along with the counties of Meath and Wicklow, while Laois is included in the Midlands Region along with the counties of Longford, Offaly and Westmeath.
The most recently submitted reports to my Department indicate that on the last day of 2017, 36 adults in the Midlands Region and 142 adults in the Mid-East Region were in emergency accommodation for longer than six months. The Mid-East report also outlined that 150 adults were supported by the housing authorities to exit emergency accommodation into sustainable independent tenancies in 2017.
