Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has met with the Department of Health in relation to development of a holistic youth homelessness strategy. [30398/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Statutory responsibility for a youth homelessness strategy rests with my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, while the Health Service Executive (HSE) leads on its implementation.

In May 2011 my Department was represented at a meeting arranged by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs with a range of interested bodies and service providers at which the current Youth Homeless Strategy was discussed. The various service providers present updated the Department of Children & Youth Affairs regarding the services under their remit in order to inform that Department in terms of their approach to updating or reviewing the Youth Homeless Strategy.

The HSE has a legal responsibility under the to provide for the care and welfare of children and young people up to the age of 18 who can no longer remain at home, and the current Youth Homeless Strategy sets out various objectives and steps to eliminate youth homelessness in Ireland.

My Department understands that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is now undertaking a high level review of the Youth Homelessness Strategy as a basis for the development of a framework to address youth homelessness over the next 5 years. My Department will continue to engage as required in respect of any assistance we can offer the Department of Children & Youth Affairs in the development of that framework.