376. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the estimated full-year cost of providing emergency accommodation for homeless people in Dublin in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67158/26]

377. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the estimated full-year cost of providing emergency accommodation for homeless people in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67157/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together.

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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities.

My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the Exchequer funding arrangements provided by my Department.

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 region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the type and range of emergency accommodation services, the number and source of emergency accommodation beds, and funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.

Financial reports from each of the regional fora, setting out total expenditure and initial estimated costs on homeless services including emergency accommodation facilities in each region, including expenditure incurred in 2022, are published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.