Peadar Tóibín
Question:542 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the potential savings that can be made through an all-island approach to homelessness. [36825/12]
View answerThursday, 19 July 2012
Questions (538)
Written answers
My Department maintains good ongoing contact with its counterparts in Northern Ireland in relation to housing matters generally, including homelessness. While I have no plans to introduce an all-Ireland homelessness strategy the scope for all-Ireland approaches on particular issues and exchange of information and good practice will be borne in mind in the context of these contacts and in the review of the national homeless strategy generally. The strategic objectives of the recently published Homeless Strategy for Northern Ireland 2012-2017align with many of the policy objectives outlined in The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008-2013.
They both recognise the importance of adopting a housing led approach, reducing the amount of time spent in homeless services, eliminating the need to sleep rough and the need to place prevention at the forefront of service delivery.
The Programme for Government committed to reviewing the National Homeless Strategy, The Way Home 2008-2013 and to implementing a housing led approach to homelessness and work on the review is almost complete. The review will take account of demands on existing housing and will assess how best to continue providing services in a manner consistent with the elimination of existing homelessness and to ensure more effective prevention strategies. On its conclusion, I will be indicating what I expect from housing authorities and other stakeholders in accelerating progress towards realising the ambition of eliminating involuntary long-term homelessness.