I am satisfied that the position of homeless persons has been significantly improved by a number of initiatives taken in recent years. The more significant of these are as follows: wider powers conferred on local authorities by the Housing Act, 1988, to secure accommodation for homeless persons; assessments of housing needs undertaken by local authorities and which now specifically include homeless persons; more flexible financial arrangements have been introduced where voluntary bodies provide accommodation for homeless persons and there is increased Exchequer funding for this purpose; better liaison between housing authorities and voluntary bodies providing accommodation for homeless persons; improved arrangements to provide an emergency response service for homeless persons; new schemes of letting priorities adopted by housing authorities under the Housing Act, 1988, give greater prominence to homeless persons; and, finally, the level of capital assistance available to voluntary bodies providing accommodation for, inter alia, homeless persons has been increased substantially.