In developing the revised NAPS, launched in February, the Government recognised the cross-cutting nature of poverty and exclusion and set key targets in a wide number of policy areas. In relation to homelessness the key target was that, by the end of 2004, sufficient and appropriate emergency accommodation would be available to rough sleepers, in conjunction with appropriate outreach services to enable them to access it.
Provisions in An Agreed Programme for Government to ensure that the comprehensive strategies on homelessness now in place are implemented and that homelessness, in particular rough sleeping, are tackled in a co-ordinated manner in all parts of the country, further underscore the Government's commitment to provide for the needs of homeless persons.
The revised anti-poverty strategy acknowledged that a number of subsidiary targets, identified during the course of consultation with the social partners and outlined in the framework document, could involve significant additional costs over the period of the strategy and would have to proceed in the light of the availability of resources. While there are no proposals to incorporate further targets on homelessness in the mainstream NAPS agenda, the issue of setting realistic targets in this area is particularly important to ensure that our efforts in providing resources and services yield positive results.