Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking the Adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children and thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

Irish policy is that appropriate health care is accessible to all. While the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government holds lead responsibility for the provision of accommodation to homeless persons, the provision of health services to this group is primarily a matter for the Department of Health and Children and for the HSE.

Homelessness — An Integrated Strategy, published in May 2000, aimed to tackle all aspects of homelessness, through the joint efforts of the Department of Health and Children, the HSE, the voluntary service providers, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and the local authorities.

Since the publication of the strategy, the Department of Health and Children has provided just over €33 million additional funding to the HSE towards its implementation. In the same timeframe the HSE has made significant progress towards meeting the in-house care costs along with developing new designated services for homeless adults who are not ready or able to avail of mainstream services. This has included the development of primary care services in hostels and day services, including dental, GP, nursing, chiropody, alcohol detoxification and counselling services. In addition, outreach teams and dedicated mental health teams have been established with the aim of linking people who are homeless into mainstream services.

In 2006 the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commissioned a review entitled Homelessness — An Integrated Strategy to evaluate outcomes. The findings of the review form the basis of the current draft of a new integrated homelessness strategy, produced in consultation with the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive. The strategy is now well under way.

The new strategy will aim to meet the target of eliminating long-term homelessness by 2010, as set out in the new social partnership agreement Towards 2016. Such a goal should have a positive impact on approximately 500 households. Priority will be given to those in emergency accommodation. An emphasis on interagency service co-ordination, and on improving the case management approach, has been agreed to respond holistically and optimally to the needs of homeless persons. The establishment of a national homelessness consultative committee, including representatives of the social partnership, community and voluntary pillar, under the aegis of the housing forum, will enhance participation of the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. This sector would include organisations such as the Legion of Mary.

I understand from information provided by the HSE that in late December 2006 and early 2007 it carried out a review of the Morning Star and Regina Coeli hostels, which are run by the Legion of Mary from HSE premises. As a result of that review, the freehold of the premises has been transferred from the HSE to the Legion of Mary with covenants. These premises had been made available rent-free to the Legion of Mary until the transfer. The covenants transfer responsibility for the premises in full to the legion as owner and require that the legion provide quality charitable services. The HSE has confirmed that it will remain in contact with the legion with regard to an evaluation of services and a strategic plan for service development.

I acknowledge the work of the Legion of Mary in supporting homeless persons and other vulnerable people for many decades at these and other centres, and at community level.

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