Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans for reviewing and updating the existing homeless strategy as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will provide a time line for the introduction of this strategy. [11795/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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The commitment in the programme for Government to review and update the existing homelessness strategy is timely as Departments and agencies, together with community and voluntary service providers, are midway through the implementation of The Way Home - A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness 2008-2013. From my initial discussions with representatives of the sector, the appropriate strategies are largely under way, including measures to end involuntary rough sleeping and improve delivery of mainstream housing to enable those residing in emergency homeless accommodation to move to independent living. However, key targets intended to be met by the end of 2010 have not been achieved and the current strategy review will take account of demands on existing housing, assess how best to provide additional services and ensure more effective prevention strategies. The Government will work with the sector to target aggressively the root causes of homelessness. As part of the updated strategy, a "housing first" approach to accommodating homeless people will be introduced. In this way, we will be able to offer homeless people suitable long-term housing in the first instance and radically reduce the use of hostel accommodation and the associated costs for the Exchequer.

Following consultation within the sector, and in parallel with the Government's expenditure review, I intend to complete the homelessness strategy review and introduce an updated strategy this autumn, including clear performance targets and associated timelines.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. Has he engaged with or will he engage with the housing authorities, particularly those in Dublin where homelessness is most pronounced? Has he had any engagement with the Minister for children given that more than 1,500 young people under 18 are homeless each year in Ireland?

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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I have already had preliminary discussions with the main service providers and relevant stakeholders, who believe the overall strategy is reasonably sound. What they are eager to see is an acceleration of the implementation of the targets that have been set. I will certainly be working towards this. I intend to complete the homelessness strategy review and introduce an updated strategy this autumn, including clear performance targets.

Youth homelessness is an important issue on which there will be a particular focus. The Government's commitment to reviewing and updating the existing homelessness strategy includes a specific focus on youth homelessness, as alluded to by Deputy Kitt.

Responsibility for the new homelessness strategy rests primarily with the Minister for Health and Children in view of the HSE's responsibility to provide care for children and youths up to 18 who can no longer remain at home. As indicated in my reply, I intend to work closely with the Minister for children, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, in the interest of having a joined-up service and proper care and discharge procedures to ensure 18 year olds moving on from child care services have appropriate follow-up care and accommodation arrangements to prevent homelessness.

I will take on board the suggestion of Deputy Kitt and work in that regard. I am certainly open to suggestion and am not averse to considering proposals by him or any other Member of the House. This is to ensure the scourge of homelessness, particularly youth homelessness, is ended once and for all. This is a noble objective but trying to achieve it will certainly not be easy. I am encouraged, however, by the extent of my engagement with the relevant stakeholders and I will continue to engage with them over the coming months.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his answer. Focus Ireland stated that, at any one time in Ireland, there are 5,000 homeless men, women and children. Will new legislation be required when the Government introduces an updated homelessness strategy? Will the Minister of State consider the introduction of the new youth homelessness strategy, particularly within his first six months in office?

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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As I stated, I am prepared to consider every suggestion to ensure that the Government's objective will be achieved while maintaining funding at its existing level, that there will be no reduction in the provision of essential front line services in 2011, and that the reconfiguration of services currently under way in Dublin can be completed. That is an extremely important objective in addition to that of offering continuous support for the roll-out of the regional homelessness action plans across the country.

The 34 local authorities have adopted homelessness action plans and their doing so will allow for greater integration of responses at local and regional levels. Our objective now is to accelerate our response to meet the targets set out in The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008–2013. We will certainly be reviewing these issues. I would be surprised if additional legislation were required but, if so, we will certainly take cognisance of it in the context of submissions by Focus, Threshold and all the other groups involved.