Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

273. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total spend to date in implementing the Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025; to provide for cost for each measure that has been implemented, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8762/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated total cost of full implementation of the Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8770/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 275 together.

In line with commitments made in both the Programme for Government and Housing for All, a national Youth Homelessness Strategy was published in November 2022. The Strategy aims to help young people aged 18-24 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It sets out 27 key actions to prevent youth homelessness; improve the experiences of young people accessing emergency accommodation; and assist young people in exiting homelessness. The delivery of the actions contained in this Strategy involves a number of stakeholders and a Steering Group is in place to coordinate the delivery of the Strategy.

My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Funding of €303 million will be available for the delivery of homeless services in 2025. This will ensure that local authorities can provide emergency accommodation, homeless prevention and tenancy sustainment services and other services to households experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, and that these households in emergency accommodation are supported to exit homelessness to tenancies as quickly as possible. This includes investing in the measures outlined in the Youth Homelessness Strategy and my Department does not hold details of the specific funding related to the actions in the Strategy. A number of other actions, such as those which refer to policy reviews, represent the normal work of relevant officials and provision is being made within the existing resources of Government Departments and agencies, as appropriate.

Investment in the measures contained in the Youth Homelessness Strategy, will contribute to the achievement of Ireland's commitment under the Lisbon Declaration to work towards eradicating homelessness by 2030. All actions within the Strategy were developed to ensure that long-term measures could be put in place to address youth homelessness beyond the lifetime of the Strategy. It is a priority of Government and the Department to ensure that all actions are completed before end of 2025.