The aim of the Second European Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion, is to assess the effectiveness of the open method of co-ordination which has been adopted by the EU in progressing towards the goal of making a decisive impact on poverty and social exclusion and to identify priorities for the future development of the process. I will be chairing the first plenary session of the event and my Department will be represented in working sessions of the conference.
Homelessness is an issue which affects all EU member states and is a policy area where the exchange of ideas and best practice, as provided for in the open method of co-ordination process, can be of great benefit. The conference will provide an opportunity to consider the homelessness issue in that context.
The national action plan against poverty and social exclusion, submitted to the EU Commission in July of this year reflects the Government's continued commitment to addressing housing and accommodation needs and to ending homelessness. The overall objective in this regard set out in the national action plan is to enable households experiencing poverty and disadvantage to have available to them housing or accommodation which is affordable, accessible, of good quality, suitable to their needs, culturally acceptable, located in a sustainable community and, as far as possible, in a secure tenure of their choice. A number of key targets in this area have been set under the plan.
My Department, through the office for social inclusion, has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the measures contained in the national action plan and the achievement of the targets set out in the plan. The primary responsibility for policy in relation to housing and accommodation and homelessness rests, of course, with the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Since the homeless strategy was launched in 2000, that Department has overseen an improvement in both the quality and range of services for homeless persons, and is continuing to further develop and enhance these services.
