Departmental Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 January 2021

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

Ceisteanna (236)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

236. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of times the homeless working group established by the Minister has met; the dates on which it has met; the outcomes of those meetings in terms of specific actions; if he will publish all minutes and other related documents from these meetings since it was established; and if he will publicise all future minutes and related documents for future meetings as they occur on his Department’s website. [2727/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I have established a Homelessness Task Force, to provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working together to address homelessness and to provide input on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government.

The Group has met on eight occasions to date, on the 13th, 20th and 27th of July, on the 14th and 21st of September, and on October 19th, November 16th and December 14th, 2020.

The taskforce has discussed, inter alia, commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government; Covid-19 homeless service; winter planning; Budget 2021 and co-ordination and co-operation with the Department of Health and HSE. The Task Force is informing my role as Minister in providing necessary policy supports and funding, and is facilitating engagement amongst key stakeholders and partners in tackling homelessness.

It is my intention to publish the agenda and minutes of meetings on my Department’s website on an ongoing basis.