Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

People who are homeless are among the most vulnerable in society. There are a variety of reasons people end up homeless including, poverty, unemployment, poor health, loss of contact with family and friends, alcohol and drug dependence and leaving institutional care. The variety of causes of homelessness and of services required to address them underlines the need for a co-ordinated, integrated approach to providing for the needs of homeless people on the part of Departments and agencies at national and local level and, the voluntary sector. I pay special tribute in this context to the excellent work done by so many dedicated people in the voluntary sector in supporting people who are homeless.

The Government has adopted a strategic approach to tackling poverty since the introduction of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy in 1997. This is designed to promote the joined up approach to policy development and implementation which is of particular importance for vulnerable groups such as the homeless. The current National Action Plan for Social Inclusion, NAPinclusion, and the social inclusion commitments in the national development plan follow a similar approach. They have been drawn up in consultation with the social partners and following a wide ranging consultation process with other stakeholders and set out clear goals, demanding targets and, a detailed programme of action to meet these goals and targets during the period 2007-16.

The overall goal in the NAPinclusion is to reduce the number of those experiencing consistent poverty to between 2% and 4% by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016. The NAPinclusion adopts a life cycle approach, in line with Towards 2016, with specific, measurable goals set for each group: children, people of working age, older people and people with disabilities and their communities. Detailed action targets cover a broad spectrum of services including homelessness and housing, health and long term care, education, income support, early childhood development and care and participation. Homeless people are eligible for the full range of services provided for in these strategies, subject to the normal conditions.

Special provision is made where necessary by the various services to meet the needs of the homeless. One of the most important supports provided to homeless people through the social welfare system is assistance with rent deposits to enable them to secure private rented accommodation.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

In excess of 8,800 rent deposits were paid out under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in 2006 at a cost of some €4.7 million. Responsibility for addressing homelessness rests with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and, in the case of youth homelessness, the Department of Health and Children. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has a substantial programme under way to assist people who are homeless to move to accommodation suitable to their needs. I am aware of, and fully support, the approach being adopted by officials of that Department under the aegis of the cross departmental team on homelessness in developing a revised Government strategy on addressing adult homelessness. It is envisaged that the revised strategy will have as its core objective the elimination by end 2010 of long-term occupancy of emergency accommodation and the need to sleep "rough". This initiative builds upon the commitment made in Towards 2016 that no homeless person will occupy emergency accommodation for a period exceeding six months by end 2010. I understand it is intended to launch the new strategy before the end of this year.

Reducing and eventually eliminating homelessness is one of the key outcomes sought from the strategies to tackle poverty and social exclusion. Much has already been achieved but, I am fully aware that much more needs to be done. I am confident that through the NAPinclusion and the other relevant strategies we can achieve the necessary co-ordination and integration within the Government sector and with the voluntary sector that is required to provide the necessary support and care for this most vulnerable group.

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