Thomas Gould
Ceist:227. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a person declaring themselves homeless needs to provide the local authority with an address. [26223/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 May 2022
Ceisteanna (227)
Freagraí scríofa
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 a 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. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.
Any household assessed as homeless may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment, allowing local authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.
In the process of establishing the circumstances of a person presenting themselves as homeless, a local authority will enquire as to their most recent address or where they stayed the previous night, in order to ascertain what options are available to them in terms of housing solutions. However, a person does not need to provide an address in order to declare themselves homeless.