Mr Michael Finneran, T.D., Minister for Housing & Local Services speaking at a seminar on homelessness today (11 December 09) announced that the funding allocation in 2010 for homeless accommodation services is being kept at the same level as in 2009. The total available will be around €62 million, €56 million of which will be recouped to local authorities by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

“Against the background of substantial cost reductions in the economy generally, not to mention the severe cuts in public expenditure that we have been forced to implement, I hardly need to stress the significance of the fact that funding for homeless accommodation in 2010 will be 5% higher than in 2008 and more than 10% in real terms when adjusted by the CPI” Minister Finneran said.

Mr Finneran emphasised the need to maximise value for money, adding that “in the current deflationary environment, this must inevitably involve cost reductions, including, administrative savings and where necessary, the dropping of any secondary activities in favour of front line services”.

The Minister also announced that he expects to make an order shortly bringing into force the provisions relating to homelessness in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. These provide for statutory Homelessness Action Plans and the establishment of statutory Homelessness Fora and Management Groups, which will form the framework for implementation of the Homeless Strategy at local level.

Referring to arrangements for homeless services in Dublin, Minister Finneran said the new provisions would “ensure strong continuity and in particular, that the Homeless Agency will continue to progress the critical work on the reconfiguration of homeless services in Dublin during 2010”. He paid tribute to the good co-operation that has been evident in the re-configuration process and indicated that the work of the Homeless Agency, under its Action Plan which runs to the end of 2010, will not be affected by the establishment of the new Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency, whose functions will include a support role in relation to homelessness at a national level.

Minister Finneran was speaking at a seminar on Homelessness Data and Policy, related to an EU project on the subject and featuring Irish and international speakers. He referred, in this context to action being taken to enhance homelessness data, for example, in the context of the 2011 census, the development and roll out of a new national client database and extension of the special Counted In surveys of homelessness.