Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Housing Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2023

Tuesday, 14 February 2023

Ceisteanna (260)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

260. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update under Housing for All to work towards eradicating homelessness by 2030. [7122/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As a signatory of the Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness, Ireland has committed, along with other member states, to work towards ending homelessness by 2030. This will be done through a number of actions including:

- Increasing the supply of housing. 300,000 homes will be delivered between now and the end of 2030 including 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable homes and 18,000 cost rental homes;

- Increasing the number of ‘Housing First’ tenancies;

- Establishment of new National Homeless Action Committee;

- Developing a Youth Homelessness Strategy;

- Expanding outreach services.

Work on these actions is well underway.

The National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC) was established in Q4 2021. The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across Government to implement actions in Housing for All, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness. Beyond this, the Committee also has a role in addressing emerging homeless-related issues and in developing further responses.

While local authorities are funded to provide tenancy sustainment and prevention services, I have tasked the National Homelessness Action Committee to make recommendations on new prevention measures. Furthermore, I published the Youth Homeless Strategy on 9 November 2022 that sets out 27 distinct actions to prevent young people entering homelessness.

Housing First enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to help them maintain their tenancies. A new Housing First National Implementation Plan covering the period 2022-2026 was published in December 2021. The plan provides for a further 1,319 tenancies over this period and the report for Q4 2022 shows that a total of 240 tenancies have been created during 2022.

I have introduced further measures to increase supply, including a new voids programme with an emphasis on quick turnaround and re-letting, the pilot expansion of the Repair and Leasing scheme and the reinstatement of the delegated sanction to local authorities for social housing acquisitions. I also want to make it abundantly clear that there are no impediments, from my Department’s point of view, to the acquisition of homes with HAP or RAS tenants in situ and I have strongly advised the Local Authorities to be proactive in this regard.

The Housing Agency has also completed a good practice guide for Street Outreach for local authorities. This manual will assist regions in expanding outreach services into those urban areas in which rough sleeping is understood to be a concern.

Ultimately, increased supply across all tenures is key to eradicating homelessness. Housing supply is increasing under Housing for All. Record State investment of €4.5bn will be made available in 2023 to support the largest State home building programme ever, with 9,100 direct build social homes and 5,500 affordable homes.

Barr
Roinn