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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Homeless Persons.

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

507 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures he has taken since 1997 to deal with homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1328/02]

The cross-departmental team, chaired by the Department of the Environment and Local Government, was established in September 1998. My Department is represented on this team, whose purpose is to develop an integrated response to the many issues which affect homeless people, such as emergency, transitional and long-term accommodation, health, education, employment and home-making. The report of the Cross-Departmental Team on Homelessness – An Integrated Strategy, was published in May 2000 and is currently being implemented by my Department, the Department of the Environment and Local Government and the other Departments concerned. The main elements of the strategy are the establishment of a homeless forum in every city and county and the preparation of three year action plans by the local authorities and health boards, together with the voluntary bodies. It is my understanding that the work of the homeless fora is at an advanced stage, with many of the action plans either complete or nearing completion.

The main difficulty in relation to adult homelessness has been in the Dublin area and in order to address this, the Eastern Regional Health Authority has appointed a director of homelessness who is working closely with the three area health boards in implementing the strategy Homelessness – An Integrated Strategy.

Specifically, the work of the three area health boards includes: the appointment of area co-ordinators who will be responsible for the implementation of the health and care aspects of the plan; better take up of medical cards for those who are homeless; the establishment of two multidisciplinary teams whose composition include nurses, doctors, community welfare officers, social workers, care attendants, community psychiatric nurses and outreach drug workers who will connect with and support homeless people quickly and effectively and link into mainstream services; the provision of a dedicated dental service for homeless people; improved discharge procedures for people who are homeless; improved mental health services for people who are homeless and improved access to addiction services for homeless people including those who have alcohol problems. The action plan detailing the work in the above areas includes timescales for each of the main work areas.

Another key element of the strategy is the commitment that the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform each have institutions under their aegis and each will develop and publish strategies to prevent homelessness amongst those at risk, leaving institutional care. My Department's preventative strategy is now complete and is due to be published shortly by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

The Government has also shown total commitment to tackling youth homelessness. In October last, the Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, launched the youth homelessness strategy which complements the Government's strategy on adult and family homelessness published by the Department of Environment and Local Government.
The primary goal of the youth homelessness strategy is to reduce and if possible eliminate youth homelessness through preventative strategies and where a child becomes homeless to ensure that s/he benefits from a comprehensive range of services aimed at reintegrating him-her into his-her community as quickly as possible.
Each health board is currently in the process of drawing up a two year youth homelessness implementation plan following consultation with relevant statutory and voluntary providers in line with specific measures, responsive services and planning and administrative supports. The three area health boards in the eastern region will develop a joint regional implementation plan.
The strategy also requires a range of other bodies in the public sector, including schools, the National Education Welfare Board, local authorities, the city and county development boards to either support the actions of health boards or take specific steps themselves. At national level, given the cross-spectral dimensions of youth homelessness, the National Children's Office has lead responsibility for driving and co-ordinating the actions necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the strategy.
Additional funding of 5 million was provided in 2002 towards the cost of implementation of the youth homelessness strategy. This brings to 17 million the amount invested in youth homelessness services since the Government came into office.
As the main difficulty in regard to youth homelessness has been in the Dublin area, a comprehensive package of child care service developments was agreed in 2000 to tackle youth homelessness and some of the key provisions of the package included the appointment of a director of homelessness in 2000 and the appointment of an additional assistant chief executive in each of the three area health boards to allow for the enhanced provision of child care and youth homelessness services; the expansion and restructuring of the outreach services to ensure vulnerable young children are aware of all the new facilities and can avail of them; a provider forum which brings together the key statutory and voluntary service providers in the youth homelessness field; a review of existing facilities and sourcing of properties to provide additional hostel/residential care accommodation, taking account of emergency, short-term, downstream and mainstream child care residential facilities between 60 and 70 – approximately – extra places have been provided; the development of multidisciplinary teams to target young people at risk and/or out of home. Family resource centres, specialist services for children with addiction problems were also provided for.
Services for homeless children are provided by the other health boards and generally these are provided as part of the child protection and welfare services. Emergency and other facilities have been developed in Cork, Limerick, Galway and other centres to cater for youth homelessness. Additional funding has been allocated to support these services.
With the increase in emergency, longer term and specialist provision for young homeless people in Dublin, as well as expanded services in Cork and Limerick, there is a bed available for each young homeless person.
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