COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 10, 2017

QUESTION NO.15

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive to confirm what actions he is taking to ensure that no homeless family currently facilitated by the Council in hotel accommodation is still in that accommodation after the target date set by the current Minister for Housing; will he also state what contacts he has had with the Department seeking assistance in that regard and will he make a statement.

REPLY:

This Council is committed  and working to ensure families provided with homeless emergency accommodation in commercial hotels are moved on to more appropriate accommodation with facilities suited to their needs in line with government objectives. We are working with the Department, DRHE and Housing Agency to achieve this aim though given the timeframe set out and the lack of more appropriate facilities currently availiable in the South Dublin Co Co area this will be very challenging.

We are fortunate to have facilities such as Tallaght Cross and Cuan Ailainn accommodating in excess of 70 families whom would otherwise be in commercial hotel accommodation. Through our Allocation Scheme we will allocate tenancies to those with homeless priority and will continue to promote the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme. The construction of in excess of 200 Rapid Build units across the County throughout 2017 and 2018 is also a key component of the Council's response to homelessness.