COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, September 13, 2021
QUESTION NO. 22
QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons
To ask the Chief Executive for a detailed report into current family hubs figures in SDCC that identifies current needs and numbers of people waiting on a hub and demand for same and the estimated cost incurred annually for providing these hubs?
REPLY:
Three family hubs are in operation in South Dublin County at present as follows:
- High Street Family Hub (Abberley) is a privately managed facility with 58 rooms (including 9 large family rooms);
- Firhouse Family Hub has 20 rooms and is managed by Respond Housing;
- Springfield Family Hub accommodates 12 families and is also managed by Respond Housing.
It is acknowledged that family hubs are not a long-term solution for families but they are an important response for families who become homeless and have no alternative other than self-accommodating because they provide more stable and appropriate accommodation that includes play space, cooking & laundry facilities and communal recreation space. This relative stability allows families to pursue longer term accommodation through HAP supported private rented accommodation, with the assistance of on-site key workers or social housing tenancies. For these reasons and with a further 20 households currently in self-accommodate options, we will continue to explore opportunitites to provide additional family hub space across the County.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead statutory authority in the response to homelessness in Dublin and adopts a shared service approach across the Dublin region on behalf of South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The costs of the provision of family hubs and other emergency accommodation is administered and paid for by DRHE.