Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 8

Written Answers. - Emergency Accommodation.

Seán Haughey

Question:

167 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of the recent allocation of funding to the Eastern Health Board to help provide emergency accommodation for homeless children; the reason for this allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19532/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey):

I recently gave approval to the Eastern Health Board to proceed with a number of new initiatives for homeless children in the Dublin area.

Included in the measures is a new emergency residential centre for children under the age of 12. This centre will be operational on a 24 hour basis and will provide a workable alternative to social admissions to hospitals. A residential centre for adolescents is to be established in Fairview in partnership with St. Jude's Trust. Plans are also advancing for a day-and-night reception centre in Dublin city centre to allow young homeless people access to Eastern Health Board services. This centre will have a small number of emergency beds available to young people who are on the streets with nowhere to go.

The Government recognises that homelessness presents a major problem to which it is responding with these initial three projects. I am in discussions with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance in relation to the further resources required to enable us to tackle the problem once and for all. This initiative was taken because of the serious problem of homeless and out of home children and young persons in the greater Dublin area. I am confident that the initiative will have a major impact on this problem.