Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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444. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on the youth homelessness strategy; the person or body that will be tasked with drafting this strategy; when and the way consultation with relevant stakeholders will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21346/21]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop and implement a national youth homelessness strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22128/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 495 together.

Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to reducing and preventing homelessness. It sets out details on how the Government will approach this challenge, and includes a commitment to develop a National Youth Homelessness Strategy. Preparing this strategy will involve co-operation and co-ordination between myself and my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Key operational elements in the provision of supports to young people experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, fall within the responsibility of a range of agencies and stakeholder bodies, and it will be important that their views can form part of the process in developing the Strategy.

Upon my appointment as Minister, I established a High Level Homelessness Taskforce, to provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working to address homelessness. The Taskforce is also inputting on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government. The membership of the taskforce consists of the Chief Executives of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, Crosscare, Depaul, Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, Dublin Simon Community and Threshold.

At its most recent recent meeting on 19 April 2021, I discussed the preparation of the Youth Homelessness Strategy and sought the views of members of the Task Force. Following from this my Department is engaged in further scoping activity in respect of the Strategy. I expect that the Strategy will develop through 2021, with broader stakeholder engagement.