asked the Minister for Health if the Eastern Health Board are obliged to provide accommodation for the homeless; and if he is satisfied that the Eastern Health Board are fulfilling their obligation in this regard.

The Eastern Health Board are required, under section 54 of the Health Act, 1953, to provide such institutional assistance to persons who are unable to provide shelter and maintenance for themselves or their dependants, as appears to the board to be necessary or proper in each particular case. The board are fulfilling this requirement by providing accommodation in homes and hostels which they administer and by giving grants to organisations or individuals providing accommodation which can be availed of by the board.

Will the Minister enumerate the places which the Eastern Health Board are providing?

That is a separate question.

It is not.

It is quite a long list.

It is not a separate question because I asked the Minister if the board are obliged to provide accommodation for the homeless and if he is satisfied they are fulfilling their obligation in this regard, so we would have to know the number of cases.

Altogether 3,000 places are provided by the Eastern Health Board.

For homeless people?

Yes.

Could the Minister give the location of these places?

I could. There is Brú Caoimhin; St. Brigids, Crooksling; St. Clare's, Ballymun; St. Mary's, Phoenix Park. There are voluntary organisations such as the Legion of Mary which are grant-aided and which provide a home at the Regina Coeli and the Morning Star for men. There are 750 places for incapacitated people but I am afraid I cannot give the address of those places. There are three hostels, one at Benburb Street, one at Tara Street and one at York Street. There is a fairly wide spread of different types of homes.

Are Brú Caoimhin and St. Mary's, Phoenix Park, actually providing places for the homeless?

Yes. There are 282 in Brú Caoimhin and 190 in St. Mary's, Phoenix Park.

These are purely for the homeless? That is interesting. That is all I want on the record.

Perhaps the Deputy should realise what we mean by homeless in this context. The health board do not regard themselves as having an obligation permanently to house people but only to provide shelter and sustenance for those who are temporarily in need of it.

The health board are statutorily obliged to provide this help. There is no information available that these places are actually providing accommodation.

The Deputy is making a statement. This is Question Time and we canot allow a debate on the matter.

The Eastern Health Board provide 3,000 places altogether.

I am calling Question No. 21.