Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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346. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will commit to ending long-term homelessness by restoring the homeless budget to 2012 allocation levels, with no further cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44121/13]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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365. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of cuts made to front-line homeless services as a result of budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44591/13]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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369. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify the budget 2014 allocation to address long-term homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44667/13]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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381. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made by his Department to date in eliminating homelessness in line with the Government's pledge to end long-term homelessness by 2016. [44775/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 346, 365, 369 and 381 together.

My Department provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. I am pleased to confirm that my Department's 2014 homeless budget will be maintained at the same level as 2013 - €45 million. While this amount represents a decrease of 3.32% on the 2012 outturn, homelessness funding from my Department has been substantially protected over the past number of years despite the wide-scale pressure for reductions in Government spending across all Departments.

Earlier in 2013, I published the Government's Homelessness Policy Statement in which I outlined the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. The statement emphasises a housing-led approach which is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. The availability and supply of secure, affordable and adequate housing is essential in ensuring sustainable tenancies and ending long-term homelessness. When I published the statement, I announced a set of indicators which will be used to demonstrate the dynamics of homelessness as it is addressed. These indicators will give a clearer picture of homelessness in Ireland, and, in quantifying its on-going extent, will support the bringing forward of realistic and practical solutions. I also established a high-level three-person oversight group for the purpose of reviewing the progress of the approach being advocated in the statement, identifying obstacles and proposing solutions. The group expects to provide me with its first report shortly.

Arrangements have been put in place to provide for the delegation of homelessness funding to the lead housing authority in each of the 9 regions. The regional approach is considered more appropriate as it helps to bring a more strategic perspective to bear on action to address homelessness, including avoidance of over-concentration of homelessness services in certain centres and promoting appropriate regional availability of services, consistent with need. These arrangements place an emphasis on increased decision making at local level, in lieu of the existing individual project based arrangements, to improve overall efficiency and value for money, and allow greater local decision making in homeless services. They also seek to ensure that the measures being pursued by housing authorities reflect the housing-led approach advocated in the policy statement, that actions are in place towards achieving the target of ending long-term homelessness by the end of 2016, and that evidence to support progress will be presented through the reports on the indicators.

My Department is currently engaging with a number of lead housing authorities and is considering the appropriate allocation of the 2014 homeless budget so as to ensure that Section 10 homeless funding contributes to meeting the needs in the various regions.