118. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the standardised data on emergency accommodation collected from Local Authority housing departments; if the reasons people require emergency accommodation are included; the way in which this is used for the planning of services to prevent homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46405/26]

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 a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.

While responsibility for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with a lead authority in place for each region.

A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. It is a matter for the management group of the consultative forum, in the first instance, to determine the type and range of homeless services, including emergency accommodation, and the funding required to address homelessness in each region.

My Department publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly Performance Reports include information on presentations to homeless services by single adult and family households who entered emergency accommodation as well as details on those exiting emergency accommodation into tenancies and those prevented from entering emergency accommodation. The quarterly progress report summarises the data submitted to the Department.

Since Q2 2023, local authorities have been reporting the reasons for presentations by single adult and family households who newly enter emergency accommodation. My Department closely monitors the reason for presentation of new households entering homeless emergency accommodation.

Progress and performance reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/.

Prevention of homelessness in the first instance is an absolute priority. There are many prevention initiatives already underway in my own Department and across Government. This includes the provision of social and affordable housing, HAP and homeless HAP, and our strong tenancy protection legislation.

In order to ensure a fully aligned all-of-Government approach under the Plan, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to a holistic, cross departmental approach to homelessness prevention. Work has commenced on developing a national Homelessness Prevention Framework to ensure all possible measures are being taken across Government to prevent homelessness. It is intended that this Framework will be in place later on in the year.

Furthermore, budget 2026 provides a total allocation of €563.5m to address homelessness. This includes €513.5m in current funding to ensure local authorities can provide sufficient emergency accommodation as well as essential related services including Housing First supports, homelessness prevention supports, day services, and tenancy sustainment measures. Additionally, €50 million in capital funding will allow local authorities to invest in the provision of local authority or NGO owned emergency accommodation facilities, developing a more sustainable approach to the delivery of emergency accommodation and ensuring that services are tailored for the needs of clients.

Ultimately, increased supply is key to addressing homelessness, meeting need, and addressing the challenges in the housing market. The new Housing Plan aims to deliver 300,000 new homes in the period to 2030, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 starter home supports. Continued investment in the social housing programme is central to providing a supply of homes suitable to allocate to households on the social housing list, including homeless families. €2.9bn of the capital funding for housing in 2026 has been allocated to support the delivery of social homes.