National Homeless Action Committee Minutes of Q1-25 Meeting

National Homeless Action Committee - Minutes of Q1-25 Meeting - 11am Wednesday 5 March 2025 - Conference Room, Custom House

The Minister welcomed all attendees and invited each member of the Committee to introduce themselves.

• The Minister provided an update on:
  • latest figures including numbers accessing EA, exits and preventions;
  • positive impact of the funding provided in 2024 to allow local authorities to purchase properties with the tenant in situ, as a homeless prevention measure under the acquisition scheme, noting that the Government has approved an additional €265 million in capital funding for the Second Hand Acquisitions Programme for 2025;
  • increasing numbers from Direct Provision accessing emergency accommodation (EA);
  • importance of increasing the supply in the rental market.
• The Minister invited members to provide an update from their perspectives on the numbers, trends and challenges that they are experiencing on the ground.
• Mary Hayes (MH) noted that tenant in situ acquisitions has had a noticeable impact for people who had received Notice to Quit. There has been an increase in waiting times for those in larger families to be housed, resulting in longer periods in EA. One in every four single presentations in the Dublin region is from Direct Provision.
• David Carroll (DC) noted that there is an increase in migrants accessing services. DC also noted that DePaul would be launching a report around addressing mental health and homelessness through Integrated Care.
• Ber Grogan (BG) noted that there is an increasing trend, particularly in Galway, of individuals aged 60+ accessing EA for the first time.
• Catherine Kenny (CK) agreed with previous points raised, and added a challenge that Dublin Simon has seen is an increasing number of people growing older in EA. There is also an increasing number of couples who wish to have children but can’t due to housing issues. Care Leavers, particularly in Louth, are challenged to find accommodation and are encouraged to go to Dublin, which means they are often leaving established support systems. CK further added the importance of cross collaboration between the Department of Housing and the Department of Health.
• Pat Dennigan (PD) noted that, owing to a dearth in the private market, families are staying much longer in EA. PD also noted that there is a lot of potential in the area of regeneration, highlighting the success that Focus recently had with converting an old Dairygold factory in Mallow into accommodation for 30 individuals. PD also noted positively the research conducted on trends in youth homelessness by the DRHE and Dr. Paula Mayock.
• Maria Joyce (MJ) noted the overrepresentation of Travellers in homelessness further adding that Travellers make up 6% of all care leavers, yet are only 1% of the overall population. MJ further highlighted the difficulties that remain for Travellers exiting into private rented accommodation from EA. Minister Browne advised that he would arrange a separate meeting with MJ to further discuss these matters.
• Louise Bayliss (LB) noted the issues around hidden homelessness and overcrowding in homes. LB also noted the concentration of EA on Gardiner Street as well as highlighting issues around migrants not being able to access Social Welfare payments. LB noted that family homeless is a significant contributor to the increase in overall homelessness and that a follow up to Housing for All is needed to address this.
• Conor Hickey (CH) welcomed the Minister to the role, noting that a lot of the drivers of homelessness are often outside of the Minister’s remit. CH added that he felt that there are some key stakeholders missing from the committee, for example a representative from IPAS. Andrew Patterson (AP) advised that he feeds back information to IPAS as part of his role as the DECIDY representative on the Committee.
• Jim Walsh (JW) noted that homelessness is an interdepartmental issue, specifically around mental health and premature death. JW further reported on some positive initiatives such as the opening of both the supervised injection facility and Usher’s Island. There is also progress being made around Housing First, which has surpassed 1,000 tenancies.
• Sinead Carr (SC) acknowledged the work undertaken by all stakeholders and raised a number of points:
  • Family Reunification is an area that that needs to be addressed.
  • There needs to be an increase in the number of 1 and 2 beds coming on stream. AHB developments need to move away from turnkeys and to have a greater focus on one and two bed delivery. If AHBs are to be a significant partner in delivering social housing, then this is critical.
  • The Housing Act and the Homeless Act do not align and there needs to be more clarity particularly around anti-social behaviour as well as how to respond to those presenting to services who are over the limit for social housing.
  • Increases, particularly of young people, presenting to homeless services.
  • Trend of young people leaving their families social housing and the parent/parents being left in a three bed house.
  • There is a vulnerable cohort, beyond the scope of Housing First, who are in need of more significant 24/7 care and the need for both DHLGH and DoH to be on-board to address that together.
  • Housing First is working well but there needs to be continued support and a stronger provision of funding with more involvement from DoH. There are concerns around the location of some tenancies, which are often best suited to city centre locations.
• Maria Joyce (MJ) cautioned against isolating people with complex needs into town centres, noting that issues should be addressed in order to keep the tenancies in the communities.
• DC noted that there needs to be a strategy on managing increasing rough sleeping numbers, and while he accepted the demarcation between D/Justice and DHLGH, there is a need for a more interdepartmental approach.
• John Mark McCafferty (JMcC) noted the importance of the Cost Rental Scheme, the need to invest in prevention services and increasing supply while balancing affordability.

• The Minister noted that addressing homelessness remains a priority for Government and the importance of both supporting those in EA to exit into secure tenancies and preventing people from entering homelessness in the first instance.
• The Minister updated the committee on:
  • Current funding arrangements
  • Measures to address homelessness in the new Programme for Government
  • Short term lettings

a) Recommendations made by Homelessness Prevention Sub-groups

• Sinead Healy (SH) gave a background to the 2022 Subgroups, noting that 66 recommendations were made, 45 are now complete, 15 are well underway and 6 were deemed not feasible. An updated paper will be shared in due course.

b) Sub-group Examining Barriers to Exiting Families from Emergency Accommodation in the Dublin Region

• Jennifer Peyton (JP) gave an update on recommendations made by the sub-group Examining Barriers to Exiting Families from Emergency Accommodation in the Dublin Region.
• JP provided the background to the establishment of the 2024 subgroup, noting that they are in the process of drafting a Subgroup report which will be shared with the committee.
• MJ queried if there will be a breakdown in ethnicity included in the subgroup report. JP confirmed that this data will be included in the report.
• LB questioned if the Department and DSP analyse whether those in receipt of HAP payments are at risk of poverty and if they can avail of additional payments to ensure top-up payments are manageable. David Kelly (DK) noted that HAP limits are continually kept under review and the LA work with individuals to ensure they can afford the top-ups to ensure tenancies are not at risk. Noel Hand (NH) added there is engagement between SVP and Minister Dara Calleary on this point.

c) Youth Homelessness Strategy

• SH highlighted that it is the last year of the three-year Strategy and that the intention is to ensure that all measures have a lasting impact beyond the end of the Strategy.
• SH updated the group on; o Supported Housing for Youth (SHY) which is being piloted in the Dublin region; o The draft revised Protocol on Young People Leaving State Care which would be circulated to the Committee in the coming weeks for obs; and
  • the youth-specific Information Campaign for 2025, which is being managed by the Housing Agency.
• MJ noted that the recently published TAPs have no recommendations in relation to young Traveller at risk of or experiencing homelessness. SH noted that DHLGH had issued guidance advising LAs to ensure that young Travellers are included in TAPs and advised that she would reach out to the Traveller Accommodation Unit for further information.

• Minister Browne invited members of the Committee to put forward ideas for NHAC.
• DC noted that NHAC has been a success in terms of engagement and suggested that the Programme for Government drives the agenda for NHAC and that a new working group might be a good option moving forward.
• PD noted the importance of this forum and suggested that while the work of the subgroups have been important, it would be useful to have the Committee address specific standing items every quarter. This standing items should address very specific actions, which individuals on the Committee should be tasked with. PD also suggested that there should be a move away from presentations and towards a pre-read and discussion model.
• Jim Walsh (JW) noted that there is a need to focus on of recovery housing and to enhance healthcare services for people who are homeless.
• Ber Grogan (BG) added that efforts are needed to sync policies across Departments adding the Housing Commission Report and new Housing Plan should be aligned. A cost benefit analysis of early intervention and prevention services should be prepared for DPER. Consideration should be given to the legislation in Scotland, were everyone has a right to housing. BG also noted the importance of humanising people through the language we use.
• Minister Browne stated that the Government is committed to the Lisbon Declaration and noted that the conversation around homelessness is often centred on the numbers as opposed to how it is going to be addressed.
• MJ noted there needs to be a more focused lens on vulnerable groups, such as women in prison who exit into homelessness and then reoffend. Minister Browne noted that often in the media homelessness is presented as a homogenous group but there are many distinct causes.
• Conor Hickey (CH) noted the need for a working group on the provision of EA.
• Catherine Kenny (CK) stated that the Committee should focus efforts on identifying emerging trends and that the focus should be on prevention as opposed to responding.
• SC noted that the location of IPAS centres has an impact on LAs. She spoke on young men with substance and mental health issues and again noted the need for DoH to be involved.
• JD noted that there was a need for a Work Plan using a Prevention Framework, which takes into account rural and urban differences. JD added that there was a need to consider how Statutory Management Groups feed into national Plans.

You can download a copy of the National Homeless Action Committee - Minutes of Q1-25 Meeting below: