Dick Spring
Question:282 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the existing plans for the expansion of existing services for homeless children, especially in rural areas; and if he will provide a timetable for this expansion.
Written Answers. - Services for Homeless Children.
The Government are extremely concerned about the plight of the young homeless and have initiated a range of developments to provide additional hostel places and other services for the young homeless throughout the country. The aim is to ensure that, as far as possible, each health board will be self-sufficient in terms of the availability of residential placements.
Over 40 additional residential places are being provided in the Eastern Health Board area. A ten-place emergency hostel for homeless girls is already available. Other developments include a new therapeutic unit for difficult adolescents in County Kildare and a new residential home for boys in South County Dublin. I expect these to be in place within a matter of weeks.
New residential and hostel facilities are also being developed at Cork, Limerick, Athlone, Sligo and Galway. These will result in approximately 30 extra places. In Cork a purpose-built residential centre at Shanakiel Road is now complete and will open shortly. A new residential facility is being developed near Limerick but it has been delayed by planning objections. In Athlone, Sligo and Galway, new hostel facilities for the young homeless are being developed by local voluntary groups with the support of the relevant health boards. Additional places were also recently made available at Stranorlar, County Donegal.
Funding has also been provided for other services dealing with young homeless. For example, the Southern Health Board is developing a specialised foster care programme for adolescents; a neighbourhood youth project has been established in Galway; an `After-Hours' social work service aimed specifically at the young homeless will be introduced shortly in the Eastern Health Board area.
The Child Care Act 1991 provides a statutory framework for the development of child care services, including tackling the problem of youth homelessness. It is my intention to bring into operation this year most of Part II of the Act which contains many of the preventative and service-delivery provisions. In particular, it is intended to implement section 5 of the Act which imposes a statutory duty on health boards to provide accommodation for young homeless people up to the age of 18 years. I am confident that the commencement of this provision together with the various service developments which I have outlined will go a long way towards reducing the problem of youth homelessness.