Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 4

Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

17 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations of the interdepartmental report, Homelessness - An Integrated Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18657/00]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

On 2 May last, I launched a major Government strategy on homelessness. The strategy is based on the report of the cross department team on homelessness which was established by the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion to examine comprehensively the issue of homelessness.

My Department has issued copies of the strategy to all local authorities and is urging early implementation of the measures in the strategy. Local authorities have been asked to establish homeless fora, where they are not already in place, and to produce action plans, jointly with health boards and voluntary bodies, within three months and by the end of August at the latest. These action plans will detail how accommodation, health, settlement and welfare services will be provided to homeless persons by all of the agencies involved in providing these services. I understand a number of consultative meetings are taking place at local level as a first step to establishing the homeless fora and drawing up the action plans.

Substantial funding has also been made available to ensure that the measures in the strategy are implemented. Capital funding for local authority hostel accommodation will be doubled over the next five years from £20 million to £40 million. Additional current funding of £6 million per annum will be available from my Department to increase payments for the provision of hostel accommodation by voluntary bodies and local authorities and to establish settlement and outreach programmes. Additional funding of £6 million will also be available from the Department of Health and Children to fund the provision of in-house care in hostels providing accommodation for homeless persons.