Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
922. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason a person who has been deemed homeless must wait until after being assessed for local authority social housing via the local authority housing unit before supports are granted; the reason this process has not been amended during Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12508/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary purpose of social housing support is to assist the provision of suitable accommodation for households who have a long term housing need but who are unable to secure accommodation from their own resources. It is open to any person or household to apply to a local authority for social housing support. However, in order to qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list, an applicant must be assessed by the authority in accordance with the statutory eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. These criteria are applied by all local authorities in assessing individual households for support.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. Any person regarded as homeless may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment; these arrangements give local authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.
Depending on the circumstances, where a person is homeless or at risk of homelessness, it may be open to a household to apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for rent supplement, which provides income support to those with short term housing needs.
If the household has a long term housing need, it may be appropriate to apply for social housing supports but a full social housing assessment will be necessary as the supports are granted on a long-term basis and the assessment considers both eligibility and housing need so the appropriate housing supports can be provided.
Local authorities have continued to carry out social housing assessments during the pandemic and have been making every effort to conduct such assessments quickly. Where issues did arise in relation to obtaining forms at the outset of the pandemic, my Department implemented temporary changes to the process to allow for assessments to progress without delay.
