COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 11, 2013

QUESTION NO 23.

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

To ask the Manager for a report on the provision of services for Homeless persons to include the relationship between this Council and the Homeless Executive, the role and function of the Homeless Executive, the role of housing agencies, and NGO's and how the policies pursued by this Council can contribute to the recently announced Government Objective on the elimination of Homelessness?

REPLY:

Chapter six of the Housing (Misc Provisions) Act 2009 provides a statutory structure to address the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness. The Act outlines a statutory obligation for each Local Authority to have an action plan in place and the formation of a Homelessness Consultative Forum and a Statutory Management Group and is based on the Dublin region structure. The Dublin region Statutory Management Group has representatives of local authority, HSE, probation service and DSP.

In Dublin the four Local Authorities provide a regional approach to homelessness and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive provides a shared support service within Dublin City Council to the Statutory Management Group, Implementation Advisory Group and the Joint Homeless Consultative Forum.

The Minister has made an order delegating the Homeless Funding to Dublin City Council as the lead statutory authority.

South Dublin County Council provides its own Assessment and Placement Unit in County Hall Tallaght as part of the Strategic Plan and a Tender Award for Supported Temporary Accommodation in South Dublin has now been completed and service expected to commence by early Quarter 2 2013

The provision of homeless service on a regional basis has permitted the delivery of many services that might not be possible to be delivered on an individual authority basis.  Many of these services are provided by NGO’s and Voluntary Organisations contracted to the Dublin Homeless Executive for the region:

 •         Supported Temporary Accommodation (STA) and Temporary Accommodation (24Hr)

•         Private Emergency Accommodation - regional plan is to eliminate its use!

•         Long-term supported accommodation in place

•         Visiting Support by way of

•         2 contracts to deliver (SLI) support to live independently

•         A Service aimed specifically at Mental Health Service

•         A service specifically for persons exiting Domestic Violence

•         Day and Extended Day Services in place

•         Offering ‘Accommodation Finding Services’- ‘Information and Advice’ and ‘Food Services’

•         Tenancy Sustainment Teams in DCC, DLR, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils

•         Housing First Demonstration Project in place concentrating on entrenched rough sleeping

•         2 Homeless Action Teams have been established to deal with

•         Children and Families

•         Singles/ Couples Team

 A new initiative of a ‘One Stop Shop’ approach is to be rolled out in Qtr 2 of 2013 in Parkgate Hall.

The new Government Homeless Policy Statement Launched on 21st February 2013 by Minister for Housing Jan O’ Sullivan reiterates the commitment to end long-term homelessness by end 2016 and reaffirms Homeless Strategy and makes a strong case for a housing-led approach which is about Housing supply, Prevention and Support.  The key challenges for Dublin Region is ‘Housing Supply’ and ‘Prevention

This will provide basis for the new Statutory Homeless Action Plan 2014 - 2016 which will be drafted in 2013 following a consultation process

In South Dublin the following activity took place 

Number of Emergency Bed Placements made since 01/01/2013:	232
Number of Presentations to Homeless Service Clinic during January 2013:	368
Number of Emergency Bed Placements made during January:	No. of Placements:                     232         Temp. Emer. Accomm / Supported Temp. Accomm        18    Private Emer. Accomm:           185 Other:                                           29

 

Homeless Register

Number of applicants on homeless register @ 31/12/2012	138
Number of new applicants included on Homeless Register in 2013:	8
Number of applicants housed so far in Council/Voluntary Housing in 2013:	2
Number of applicants housed in private rented so far in 2013:	2
Number of other applicants removed from the Homeless Register in 2012:	0
Total Number on Homeless Register @ 31/1/2013	142
Homeless list Breakdown:
Transitional Accommodation	N/A
Supported Temporary Accommodation  (STA) & Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA)	91
B&B and Emergency Apartments	28
Hospitals	3
Prison	0
Aftercare	5
Women’s Refuge	3
Detox Clinic / Residential Care Unit	12
Using Freephone / Staying with friends	0
Total	142