Written answer
Emergency Accommodation
120. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the criteria used to decide the location of emergency accommodation allocated to individuals and families, and the consideration taken of the needs of the people with regard to access to schools and support networks in their local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43487/24]
Comment on this
My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to local authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988.
In September 2022 my Department published Guidelines for Development of New Emergency Accommodation. These guidelines have been issued to all local authorities and set out the expectation and standards required in the development of emergency accommodation
The operation of homeless accommodation services is a matter for individual local authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum, performed in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009.
The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services is in place nationally for local authority and NGO delivered services. The Framework was developed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the quality of services provided. In general, the operation of these emergency accommodation facilities is contracted out by local authorities, under service level agreements, to NGOs involved in the delivery of homeless services.