Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I will address the last question first. Senators are aware of the strategy on homelessness, but it is not worth the paper it is written on unless there is an implementation plan with a statutory back-up. That is the process I am involved in at the moment with all the stakeholders and it is our definite intention to publish the plan before the end of the year. We want to implement it, which means working to get people out of emergency accommodation and into either independent or assisted living under the rental accommodation scheme or other schemes. It is important to work on a co-operative basis, which is why I mentioned the stakeholders who have dealt with homelessness over the years on a voluntary basis. I am now attempting to assist them not alone with a strategy but also with a planned legislative framework so that people will not be in emergency accommodation for more than six months. I have good reason for saying that because I worked in the health services and the local authority system and it is not good for anyone's self-esteem to remain in emergency accommodation for a long period. It gives them no opportunity to re-establish their independent identities, which many of them have lost, nor to enter relationships. I am keen therefore that emergency accommodation should be just that, for emergencies only, and that we will move on from there.

Stakeholders have been informed of the Government's decision regarding the 1998 Act, which is mentioned in section 10 of this Bill. However, the 1998 Act and all other housing legislation work in conjunction with one another. That definition of homelessness therefore forms part of the law of the land. All the Acts from 1996 to 2008 will remain in force. The statutory definition of homelessness is a very good one that has withstood the test of time. The difficulty is not about the definition, but that we have not dealt with homelessness in a broad way. We have allowed that situation to develop over a long number of years, although I am not blaming anybody. I thank the voluntary organisations that have held the line in providing such services. We have not done it in a way that has allowed people to get into independent living or assisted living.

According to the April night count, 104 people were living rough in this city. While I do not want anybody living rough, we will have a small cohort of people who will not take a bed — we know this from the organisations on the ground. That said, we want to make sure they are offered a bed and that they are looked after if they do not want to take it. When we remove people from emergency accommodation, this frees up such accommodation. This will give us an opportunity to have a better range and suite of emergency accommodations than is perhaps available at this time.

As I said, we informed the organisations. I do not want to speak for them as they can speak for themselves and I will not talk on anyone else's behalf. They are aware of my position and they continue to work with me. If I were to interpret it, I believe the implementation plan is the important part for them. We have arranged for a half-day meeting with all the stakeholders in the Custom House some time in the coming weeks, and they have agreed to that.

In conclusion, having considered this in its entirety, I am happy the existing suite of housing legislation puts us on a new path. There is much in this Bill, for example, with regard to the incremental loans scheme. There is a broad range, although we are focusing on homes. The suite of supports available will be adequate and it provides the framework for assessing housing needs, which includes homelessness, as far as I am concerned. The final response before its implementation will be the plan, which I am sure will be debated in this House when it is available. As I said, I hope to have it before the end of the year.