Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 1435: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the key performance indicators used for assessing the impact of the homelessness strategy; the achievements over the past five years; if an evaluation has been conducted of the homeless strategy by independent consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29979/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Significant progress has been made to address homelessness since the adoption of the Integrated Government Strategy on Homelessness in 2000 and the Homeless Preventative Strategy in 2002, as demonstrated in the Independent Review of the Implementation of Homeless Strategies carried out by Fitzpatrick Associates in 2006. The progress achieved has included an improvement in both the quality and range of services for homeless persons, including new services for emergency, transitional and long-term accommodation and settlement and tenancy sustainment services designed to assist people out of homelessness. Homeless fora have been established throughout the country and local action plans on homelessness have been adopted.

Very significant resources have been committed to the development of homeless services since the publication of the first strategy in 2000. Over the five years to end 2008, over €272 million will have been provided through my Department and local authorities for ongoing homeless accommodation and related costs. Further substantial funding has been provided for capital investment in facilities, and by the HSE for the care-related costs of homeless services. As evidenced in the triennial housing needs assessment, the number of homeless households reduced from 2,468 to 2,399 between 2002 and 2005, while the number of homeless individuals fell from 5,581 to 3,031. Details from the 2008 assessment are currently being finalised.

A new Government strategy on homelessness, The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008-2013, was published in August 2008. The strategy builds on the strong progress made under the previous strategies and sets out a vision to address adult homelessness over the next five years. In particular, key objectives will be the elimination of long-term occupancy of emergency homeless facilities, the prevention of homelessness as far as possible and the elimination of the need to sleep rough. The new strategy sets out key performance indicators and these will be used to monitor progress of the implementation of the strategy and its impact nationally.