37.— (1) A housing authority shall, in respect of its administrative area, not later than 8 months after the coming into operation of this Chapter, adopt a plan (in this Act referred to as a “homelessness action plan”) to address homelessness.

(2) A homelessness action plan shall specify the measures proposed to be undertaken to address homelessness in the administrative area or administrative areas concerned by the housing authority or housing authorities, as the case may be, the Health Service Executive, specified bodies, or approved bodies or other bodies providing services to address homelessness or the performance of whose functions may affect or relate to the provision of such services, including but not necessarily limited to measures to achieve the following objectives—

(a) the prevention of homelessness,

(b) the reduction of homelessness in its extent or duration,

(c) the provision of services, including accommodation, to address the needs of homeless households,

(d) the provision of assistance under section 10 (b) (i), as necessary, to persons who were formerly homeless, and

(e) the promotion of effective co-ordination of activities proposed to be undertaken by the bodies referred to in this subsection for the purposes of addressing homelessness in the administrative area or areas concerned.

(3) A homelessness action plan shall be in writing and shall take account of—

(a) any available information regarding the extent of the need for services to address homelessness, including, in the case of housing supports, any summary of social housing assessments prepared under section 21 in respect of homeless households,

(b) the costs of the proposed measures referred to in subsection (2) and the financial resources that are available or are likely to be available for the period of the homelessness action plan to the housing authority or housing authorities concerned, the Health Service Executive or any specified body, as the case may be, for the purposes of undertaking those measures and the need to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of such resources,

(c) such policies and objectives for the time being of the Government or the Minister in so far as they may affect or relate to the provision of services to homeless persons, and

(d) such other matters as the Minister may specify in a direction given to the housing authority under subsection (4), including (except in the case of the first homelessness action plan) a review of progress made in the implementation of the homelessness action plan during the period of the previous plan.

(4) (a) The Minister may, from time to time, give directions in writing to a housing authority for the purpose of either or both of the following—

(i) providing guidance as to the form and content of a homelessness action plan, and

(ii) specifying the period for which such a plan is to remain in force, which period shall not in any case be less than 3 years.

(b) The housing authority shall comply with any directions given under paragraph (a).