COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 12, 2017

QUESTION NO.17

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive to make a statement on progress he is making to ensure compliance with the directives from the current Minister for Housing in respect of ensuring that homeless families are still not accommodated in hotels following the deadline set by the Minister; will he detail the current situation and will he make a general statement.

REPLY:

Staff in the housing allocations section are making every effort to meet the July deadline as directed by the Minister. This poses a very significant challenge to the Council and is dependent on the availability of suitable family type accommodation being available and ready for allocation while presentations by new homeless continues.

Currently, and for the foreseeable future vacant family type housing (with exception of specially adapted housing) is prioritised for Homeless Families.

In the month of May 23 tenancies were allocated. That brings the total number of allocations to homeless persons to date in 2017 to 64.

In the coming months a number of additional properties will become available through the Housing Finance Agency (14) and Dublin Simon (6). This will be in addition to SDCC purchases and vested properties (15) and vacancies arising in our own stock. It is anticipated a further 16 units will come available under Part V in late June/ July.

Where possible one bed units are being made available to persons on the transfer list to downsize thus freeing up additional family type housing. 

In addition, the Abberley Court Hotel is in the process of being designated as a facility with enhanced services for families. Communal recreation rooms including play area for children. The conversion works are ongoing and will be completed in the near future.  The services are already available but will be enhanced with the completion of the works.

Tallaght Cross will continue to accommodate up to 64 families.

To date in 2017, 35 families have been assessed as homeless by SDCC.