Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the consultation she has had with the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive in regard to homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18702/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to addressing homelessness in a comprehensive and co-ordinated manner. Substantial progress is being made under the Government's strategy on adult homelessness, in addressing the needs of people who are homeless and in assisting them to move to accommodation that is suitable to their needs. This has been done through the recognition that a solution to homelessness is not just about the provision of housing or shelter. There is also a need for a comprehensive approach involving health, care and welfare, education, training and support, as well as accommodation, to enable homeless persons to re-integrate into society and to prevent others from becoming homeless.

Under the social welfare system, homeless people have the same entitlements as any other person. They can be paid a basic allowance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme if they do not fulfil the conditions for any other primary weekly payment from my Department. In addition, they can apply for payments such as rent supplement, diet supplement and exceptional needs payments. My Department determines overall policy in relation to the supplementary welfare scheme and communicates this to the HSE and the community welfare service who administer the scheme on behalf of the Department.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has overall responsibility for addressing homelessness and is currently developing a revised strategy in that regard. The strategy is being developed under the aegis of a Cross Departmental Team on Homelessness which is chaired by that Department. My Department is represented on the Cross Departmental Team as is the Department of Health and Children and a number of other government departments and agencies.