The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published its Emergency Accommodation Report for August 2023.
The report shows a reduction of 156 individuals in emergency accommodation compared to the figures released in July. However, the decrease was attributed to the correction of an administrative error.
Previous data erroneously retained the information of individuals who had already left emergency accommodation. In a statement, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) clarified that the bookings had been correctly opened but not closed when individuals left, and that the reduction was “due to the correction of past data and not a significant change in presentations and/or exits to tenancy”.
The DRHE has since appointed “an independent person of appropriate qualification” to review the data for the Dublin region.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has also collaborated with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to verify the reliability and trustworthiness of nationwide emergency accommodation data collection. The CCMA has consented to an external assessment of the methods and protocols used to collect the data.
Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, commented: “Reliable, accurate and accessible data is vital to the work of my Department and in maintaining public trust. Any statistical errors are concerning and we have put in place a number of processes to ensure the integrity of the data going forward. I will review and expedite any recommendations arising from this work to uphold robust data collection in this vital area.”
