GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR tackling levels of homelessness in Ireland envisions a move away from short-term hostel accommodation towards “a housing led approach”, according to the Minister of State Jan O’Sullivan.
Homelessness is most pronounced in the Dublin region, where 1,891 people were confirmed to be homeless as of September 2011, she said.
This figure regarding the extent of homelessness in Dublin was reviewed and calculated using the now fully operational Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS) and crosschecked against each Dublin local authority’s housing management data systems.
O’Sullivan said PASS, which commenced operation in the Dublin region in 2011, is now being extended nationally on a phased basis with a view to providing good quality, timely, data on homelessness nationally.
In response to a Parliamentary Question, O’Sullivan said Government policy envisages “a move away from the traditional bed and breakfast accommodation with the emphasis on housing authorities adopting a housing led approach”. It is hoped that such a strategy will reduce the amount of time spent in homeless services (particularly hostel accommodation), eliminate the need to sleep rough, and place prevention at the forefront of the delivery of services.
A policy statement which takes account of demands on existing housing and how to eliminate existing and future long-term homelessness is expected soon.
O’Sullivan also noted a report by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) from September of this year, which indicated that 3,808 persons were either sleeping rough or in accommodation designated for the homeless on the night of 10 April 2011. Homeless Persons in Ireland reported that the ‘rough sleeper’ count was 64, with 59 of those people located in Dublin.
“It is not tolerable that anyone should sleep on the streets but it is important that the homeless figures released are not confused with the number of people sleeping rough. The vast majority of people classified in the CSO’s report as homeless are in long-term or emergency accommodation,” said O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan said her department’s current funding provision for the running costs of homeless accommodation and related services for 2012 is €50 million, which, together with 10 per cent provided from housing authorities’ own resources, brings the total available funding to €55.55 million in 2012.
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