Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:265 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action, if any, he will take to provide adequate funding for resettlement services for those who are homeless. [25815/98]
Vol. 497 No. 5
265 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action, if any, he will take to provide adequate funding for resettlement services for those who are homeless. [25815/98]
266 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the provision, if any, he will make in relation to transitional accommodation available for people trapped in the hostel circuit. [25816/98]
267 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the funding available for the Dublin area homeless initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25817/98]
268 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action, if any, he will take to collect accurate information on homelessness in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25818/98]
269 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the measures, if any, he will take to deal with the homeless problem in Dublin. [25819/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 265, 266, 267, 268 and 269 together.
Local authorities have a wide range of powers to enable them to provide an effective response to the accommodation needs of homeless people. Homeless people have benefited from the maintenance of the local authority housing programme at a high and consistent level in recent years. Increased resources for housing, which I have secured in the Estimates for 1999, will ensure the continuation of the existing programme and its expansion by a further 600 "starts" to its highest level since 1986.
270 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will establish a national commission for a special task force on housing and homelessness. [25821/98]
I am giving consideration to the possible contribution which a National Housing Commission or other such forum or task force might make in the context of the current housing situation.