Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the MakeRoom campaign which was recently launched by the four housing non-governmental organisations; his views on the objectives of the campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36498/06]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when homelessness will be eliminated in this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36611/06]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his response to the MakeRoom campaign to end homelessness by 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36607/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the measures he will implement to meet Government targets of eradicating homelessness by 2010. [36674/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 49, 60 and 103 together.

I have noted the recent launch of the MakeRoom campaign by Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold. The stated aim of the MakeRoom campaign is to end homelessness by 2010 and in this context indicates this to mean "nobody will sleep rough; nobody will stay in emergency accommodation for longer than is absolutely necessary and nobody will become homeless because of a lack of appropriate services".

The social partnership agreement Towards 2016 contains a commitment to the elimination of the long-term occupancy of emergency homeless accommodation by 2010. This is well aligned with the goals of the MakeRoom campaign. It should also be noted that the Homeless Agency, which is the partnership body which coordinates homeless services in Dublin, has already defined as its overarching goal the elimination of long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough in Dublin by 2010.

The Independent Review of Implementation of Homeless Strategies, published earlier this year, examined the implementation of the Government's Integrated and Preventative Homeless Strategies and concluded that they should be amalgamated and updated. The Government have accepted the broad thrust of the recommendations of the Review and work is underway on the preparation of a revised and updated Strategy on Homelessness. As part of this process, a National Homeless Consultative Committee, including representatives from homeless service providers, will be established to provide input into the development of the revised homeless strategy and ongoing government policy on addressing homelessness.

Very significant resources are being made available to address the issue of homelessness at national level in a comprehensive and co-ordinated manner. Since 2000, the Government through my Department and the Department of Health & Children, have provided almost €450 million in capital and current funding nationally for the provision of accommodation and care related services for homeless persons.

There is now a wide range of accommodation and services across the country — from emergency hostels, transitional accommodation programmes to outreach and resettlement services and long term supported accommodation. A key task is to assist homeless persons who can live independently into mainstream long-term accommodation as soon as possible. This will involve the refocusing of efforts on the provision of accommodation in the social, voluntary and private rented housing sectors. The Rental Accommodation Scheme has significant potential in this area. This increased supply, together with appropriate outreach and resettlement support is essential in assisting people out of homelessness altogether.