Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2021
108. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the body that funds the homeless action team at Clare County Council; and if the provision of a 24-hour service can be included for Budget 2022 in order that rough sleepers and other marginalised persons can access showers, laundry and other services. [35322/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.
While responsibility for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with a lead authority in place for each region. In this instance, Clare County Council is included in the Mid-West region along with Limerick City and County Council with Limerick acting as the regional lead authority. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the range of emergency accommodation services and funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
My Department does not fund homeless service directly but rather contributes towards overall costs incurred by housing authorities in the provision of services. Some €9.18m was provided in Exchequer funding to the Mid-West Region in 2020 with €3.9m in funding recouped to date in 2021. It is a matter for each housing authority to bring forward proposals to meet the needs of homeless individuals in their administrative area.
