The country's health boards are to establish forums on youth homelessness involving schools, gardaí, local authorities and voluntary bodies.
The move was announced yesterday by the Minister of State for Health and Children, Mr Brian Lenihan. He also announced an allocation of €5 million to fund health board measures on youth homelessness.
"This brings to approximately €17 million the amount invested in youth homelessness services since 1997," he said.
"This funding has increased the number of emergency and longer-term accommodation and specialist provision for young homeless people in Dublin, as well as expanded services in Cork and Limerick."
The National Children's Office is to establish and chair an inter-departmental monitoring committee, with representatives from the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) and each of the health boards and representatives from the voluntary sector, to oversee the implementation of the youth homelessness strategy.
The €5 million allocation to health boards is broken down as follows:
ERHA (for services provided by the three area health boards in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow) €1.905m, Midland Health Board €0.190m, Mid-Western Health Board €0.381m, North Eastern Health Board €0.444m, North Western Health Board €0.222m, South Eastern Health Board €0.571m, Southern Health Board €1.016m and Western Health Board €0.286m.