I propose to take Questions Nos. 295, 297 and 299 to 303, inclusive, together.
Implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness is being advanced across a number of departments and agencies, under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach. All of the sections are progressing in line with the identified timeframes in Rebuilding Ireland, which can be accessed at http://rebuildingireland.ie/ .
Addressing homelessness is a top priority for me and for the Government as a whole. Over the last two years, Exchequer funding available from my Department for homelessness services has grown by 55%, with €70 million approved for this purpose in Budget 2016, compared to provision of approx. €53 million in 2015 and €45 million in 2014. The provision for homelessness services in 2017 has been increased further to €98 million.
A whole-of-Government approach is being taken to dealing with the issues associated with homelessness i.e. housing, welfare, healthcare, etc. The Homelessness Policy Implementation Team, originally established in 2014 to oversee and monitor the delivery of actions in the Government’s Implementation Plan on the State’s Response to Homelessness, continues to meet under the auspices of my Department to drive the implementation of the various actions in Rebuilding Ireland. The team consists of senior officials drawn from key State agencies – the Departments of Social Protection; Health; and Children and Youth Affairs; the Health Service Executive; Tusla (the Child and Family Agency); the Irish Prison Service; the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and representatives of the relevant housing authorities; along with my own Department. My Department is also engaging on an ongoing basis with officials from the lead local authorities in the nine homeless regions regarding the implementation of the actions in Rebuilding Ireland and the overall delivery of homeless services in the relevant regions.
Progress on the implementation of the specific Rebuilding Ireland actions referred to will be reported on in future quarterly progress reports, with each report focusing on the actions due for delivery during the immediately preceding quarter.