Housing Minister says he will provide funding to stop people having to sleep on the street
The Waterford News and Star asked if interim measures were on the way this winter. Stock Image.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne has said his department will provide any funding to make sure those sleeping on the street in Waterford City have a bed this winter.
The minister was speaking to the press after the official opening of An Garrán, a 50-home estate, in Tramore.
When asked by the Waterford News and Star if the Department of Housing intended to introduce interim measures for people sleeping on the city streets this winter, the Minister said they would do whatever was needed.
“Nobody should be sleeping on the streets. The Department of Housing will provide any funding that is necessary to ensure that people are not sleeping on the streets and we have.
“But the local authorities and also working with our partners, the NGOs, the charities, to ensure that people have that bed that they need to not be sleeping on the streets.
“And we will ensure that they are available, and people feel safe and secure going into those beds. That is crucial,” said Minister Browne.
The Waterford News and Star also asked the minister if he was concerned about the rising county number of adults in emergency accommodation.
The September Monthly Homelessness Report showed 121 adults in emergency accommodation in Waterford.
An analysis by this paper reported that this was the highest since February 2018, when 123 people were in emergency accommodation.
The Minister said he is concerned about the figure across the country, but delivery is the answer.
“I am concerned about homelessness right across the country and Waterford is an important part of that.
The solution to homelessness is supply supply supply. Waterford really is actually one of the best local authorities in terms of delivering the housing solution, social homes, affordable homes and private homes and facilitating the delivery of those private homes.
“I think the acceleration of delivery we are going to see will resolve the emergency accommodation situation where people are in homelessness or having to go into emergency accommodation rather than having the homes they need,” said Minister Browne.
Minister for Local Government and Planning John Cummins said in response that specific funding has been ringfenced for families and people at risk of homelessness.
He cited a recent funding allocation of €1.5 million to support families in long-term emergency accommodation.
The number of families and homeless children in Waterford is not reported as part of the department’s monthly report.
However, the funding referenced by Minister Cummins was given to the eight local authorities in the country with the most families in long-term emergency accommodation.
Minister Cummins also pointed out that €8 million has been allocated to the Tenant in Situ Scheme nationally.
“That is a programme the government has put together to try and prevent homelessness and help people exit from homelessness.
“So there are numbers in homelessness at any given time, but there are constantly people moving in and out of that as well.
“But of course we need to do more, and behind every statistic is an individual or a family,” said Minister Cummins.
Government Chief Whip and Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler commended Waterford City and County Council for their work with homeless families.
“They always prioritise families with children. They always make sure they hold back houses every single week and there is somewhere for the families for children to go.
“Obviously, we have a lot of homeless adults and they are dependent more on emergency accommodation, but when it comes to families, they are prioritized. I just want to say that,” said Minister Butler.
