Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

I acknowledge the Minister's personal interest in trying to rectify this situation but the Government will not achieve the target of eliminating homelessness by the end of the year. I have three questions for the Minister. With regard to his definition of homelessness, there is a difference between local authorities in terms of how they interpret the different definitions. Does the Minister plan to introduce a single definition? Most people would equate homelessness with a person not having accommodation in which to live from day to day. That should probably be the standard definition.

With regard to strategy, the HSE is involved in dealing with this matter as well as the Department. Are there plans to make a single Government agency ultimately responsible for dealing with homelessness? In terms of statistics, can the Minister confirm that there has been an increase in the number of people who are homeless as a result of the recession? How often are statistics compiled? As regards housing schemes, there was a target of providing 1,200 long-term lease homes for homeless people. That has not been achieved. Does the Minister have any plans to roll this out and, for example, use the CAS or RAS schemes to acquire these units?

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