merrion street

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and Health Minister Simon Harris today welcomed the launch of the Housing First National Implementation Plan 2018-2021 which will see the highly effective programme to reduce and end rough sleeping and long-term homelessness extended to every county in Ireland.  

The Housing First Implementation Plan underpins the Government’s commitment to provide permanent and lasting solutions to address rough sleeping and long-term homelessness in Ireland. 

The Housing First approach recognises that many of those rough sleeping require significant health supports, particularly in the area of addiction and mental health. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible where they can receive the tenancy and health supports that they require. Housing First recognises that a stable home provides the basis for recovery in other areas.

Minister Murphy commented:

By providing housing and wraparound health supports simultaneously to some of the most vulnerable homeless individuals, we are seeking to ensure that they remain out of homelessness permanently. Housing First recognises the need for a coordinated response to homelessness by housing and health authorities and I have worked closely with Minister Harris since coming into office on providing a more coordinated response in this area. The delivery of the Plan will be a joint effort between our two Departments, the local authorities and the HSE.

The Minister outlined the significant expansion of Housing First envisaged by the Implementation Plan:

This Plan greatly expands the scope of Housing First by setting targets to support over 650 individuals. The target group will be individuals who are rough sleeping, or are long term users of emergency accommodation, who will be supported to move to homes with the necessary tenancy and health supports. The Plan sets targets for every local authority and aims to reduce and where possible eliminate rough sleeping and long term use of emergency accommodation. Both Minister Harris and I are strongly committed to ensuring that the targets in the Plan are delivered.

The Report is available here. 

Read the full press release here.