Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
334. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 27 September 2022, the percentage of the €6.5 million Exchequer funding that has been spent in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4182/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the Exchequer funding arrangements provided by my Department. Therefore, the exact amounts spent by housing authorities on homeless services, as well as the type and operation of homeless services are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
The management of an annual funding allocation is delegated to the lead authority in each homeless region and is governed by a protocol between my Department and the lead authority. This protocol sets out the funding arrangements and structures to ensure adherence with statutory requirements and public financial procedures. The Protocol agreement also sets out reporting requirements in respect of expenditure incurred on the provision of services and includes a requirement to ensure that certified expenditure is reported to my Department. The drawdown of Exchequer funding is in accordance with the reporting arrangements set out in the Protocol. In 2022, the total Exchequer funding provided by my Department to the Mid West Region, which includes Clare County Council was €10 million. Certified expenditure reports from all regional lead authorities are published on my Department's website at:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data. Financial reports for 2022 are currently being examined and will be published shortly.
The detail sought in the question is an operational matter and is a matter for the individual housing authority.
