Reducing and preventing homelessness remains a top priority for the Government. Housing for All, the government’s housing plan to 2030, recognises the particular challenges of homelessness, for families and for individuals. The Government is committed to eradicating homelessness by 2030.
Housing for All focuses on reducing the number of homeless families and individuals. It works with local authorities, Non-Government Organisations, Approved Housing Bodies and the HSE, to support people experiencing homelessness into long-term sustainable accommodation.
Inter-agency supports are critical to alleviating homelessness and addressing the housing, social, health and economic needs of both the homeless and those in the private rented sector at risk of becoming homeless. Housing for All commits to a range of comprehensive measures to support people experiencing homelessness. More information on the measure being taken are available on the Housing for All website.
Housing First is a housing-led approach that enables people with a history of rough sleeping or long-term use of emergency accommodation, and with complex needs, to obtain permanent secure accommodation. It is one of the key measures for ending long-term homelessness. The programme provides intensive supports to help them to maintain their tenancies. It provides the most vulnerable of our homeless population with a home for life as well as with key wraparound health and social supports.
Under the plan, the Government will provide an additional 1,319 supported tenancies over the next five years. This will ensure that Housing First continues to operate and expand in every county of Ireland. It will involve an average of 264 new tenancies per annum, with the specific annual targets for each region now set out in the plan. These targets are based on analysis of need, which involved key stakeholders and was supported by the Housing Agency. The Housing First Programme has already helped more than 600 long-term homeless individuals into their own homes for life, with wrap-around supports available to them to keep them in those homes.
In line with a commitment in Housing for All, the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC) was established in Q4 2021. The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across Government to implement actions in Housing for All, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness. Beyond this, the Committee will also have a role in addressing emerging homeless-related issues and in developing further responses.
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage chairs the Committee which meets on a quarterly basis.
Membership of the Committee comprises representatives from key Government Departments, State agencies and bodies involved in addressing homelessness.