Our housing plan, ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness’ is an integrated housing and homelessness plan. The plan is based on two key pillars: activating the supply of 300,000 more homes; and supporting people to have a home of their own.
Our housing plan recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that we face and introduces a number of key measures to address homelessness. Increased supply is key to addressing homelessness. Government is focused on making sure that everyone has access to good quality, affordable and secure homes that suit their needs. Over €9 billion in capital funding will be made available for housing in 2026.
Addressing child and family homelessness is a key priority for Government. I recognise that the experience of homelessness for a child goes beyond housing alone and requires a response across Government. Our housing plan commits to the development of a Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan. Development of the plan has brought together key stakeholders to drive the continued focus on preventing children and families entering emergency accommodation, providing enhanced supports for children experiencing homelessness, as well as measures to accelerate exits and reduce the time spent by children and their families in homeless emergency accommodation. A Child Rights Impact Assessment was undertaken as part of the development of the Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan. It is anticipated that the Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan will be published shortly.
Young Ireland, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023-2028, was developed using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a guide and was launched by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman T.D., in 2023. The Convention provides the framework for our understanding of the rights of children and young people and our commitment to them. Young Ireland is a whole of government framework and the actions are owned by Departments across Government. It is the responsibility of each department to ensure that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other obligations are considered in the development of policy. The scope of Young Ireland shows the cross-government commitment to children’s rights.
In developing the Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan, my Department engaged with the Young Ireland governance structures, allowing the Advisory Council an opportunity to contribute its views on important child rights considerations.
