Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2021
573. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount of the health budget for 2022 he will be allocating to supporting the local drug and alcohol addiction prevention, stabilisation and detoxing work of local authorities homeless services; the way that this builds on previous funding received over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61250/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to addressing the health needs of people who are homeless. This includes the development of health and social interventions, based on an inclusion health approach, to target people who are homeless and in addiction.
The Department of Health and HSE are responsible for the delivery of a range of health services and supports to people who are homeless. The Dept provides funding of €36 million per annum to the HSE for health services and supports to people who are homeless. These include ‘in-reach’ service in emergency accommodation, case management and addiction and mental health supports.
Budget 2021 allocated an additional funding of €4m to address the addiction and mental health needs of people who are homeless, including:-
- the provision of health supports for new tenancies under the Housing First programme;
- the development and delivery of customised health care plans for single people living in emergency accommodation; and
- the provision of additional services for people who are homeless with complex health needs, including chronic mental health and inpatient treatment services.
In Budget 2022, an additional €1.3m was secured to provide health supports for an expansion of tenancies under the Housing First programme for people who are long-term homeless and to develop an integrated care and case management service for up to 4,000 single homeless people with complex health needs in Dublin.
Separately, €10m in Covid funding has been secured in 2022 to maintain public health measures for people who are homeless and to consolidate recent improvements in health services .
I am committed to providing dedicated funding and resources to deliver the health and addiction services required to assist the complex needs of people who are homeless.
