COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 13, 2017

QUESTION NO.21

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chiet Executive  to present an updated report on actions he is continuing to take in respect of the homeless crisis as it effects our county; will he comment on the targets set in this regard by the current Minister for Housing and will he also detail his efforts to facilitate homeless families in accommodation other than hotels.

REPLY:

As at end of January 2017, there were 437 applicants on the Homeless Priority List.

South Dublin County Council currently operates two facilities in the Tallaght Area. Tallaght Cross houses 64 families on a temporary basis and Killininney House offers accommodation for 21 single men and an additional 9 placements as step down/transitional in Gleann na Horna in Springfield managed by the Peter McVerry Trust. South Dublin County Council also has nomination rights to another hotel in the Tallaght Area for placement of South Dublin Families.Also Riversdale House has 24 occupants who are incapable of independent living. All other Hotel & B&B accommodation is operated through the Central Placement Services and is not in the control of this local authority, and as a result the service can only offer the accommodation that is available on any given day. 

All families included on the Homeless Register are notified to the Focus Family HAT who appoint a Case Worker to further assist those families.

SDCC is also working with Focus Ireland on the HAP Preventative Measure to assist and prevent those families at risk from becoming homelessness. 

The Council also operates an outreach service and multi-agency approach to address rough sleepers. 

Dublin City Council is the lead authority in terms of Homeless Services for the Dublin Region. Funding for Homeless accommodation and preventative measures comes from the Department Housing Planning Community and Local Government with a contribution from each of the Dublin authorities. Funding is also provided for a number of services from the Department of Health/HSE.