Most of the elements of a new package on youth homelessness should be in place by September, according to the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin.
The Minister told the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) the package of measures must be implemented immediately and he wanted to see major advances in tackling youth homelessness within a year.
The measures include the appointment of a Director of Youth Homelessness for the ERHA area, as well as the appointment of dedicated teams in each of the Dublin health board areas.
Next week the ERHA will advertise for staff to fill these new roles. By September the authority will be employing more family support workers, childcare workers and other professionals. Asked how many new staff would be employed under this package, a spokesman for the Minister said the instructions were to "do what must be done, whatever the cost".
He said the Department of Health and the ERHA were also trying to build up a bank of accommodation so that youths could be immediately catered for in an emergency.
However, Focus Ireland has criticised the Minister for not taking the opportunity to set up an independent board to monitor these services.
Ms Orla Barry, divisional head of services at Focus Ireland, said Mr Martin had admitted there had been a systems failure in the delivery of services for young homeless people.
"The Eastern Regional Health Authority and the three new health boards may be new structures at the top, but on the ground everything is the same. So if it failed before, how can we be sure it won't fail again?" she asked.
In response, the Minister's spokesman said that setting up a new structure would take far too long and might not achieve anything.
"It would be the easiest thing in the world to set up a new body, but we need action now. If we didn't act immediately, we would be criticised, too," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the IMPACT trade union questioned the timing of the Minister's announcement, so soon after the controversy surrounding the teenager who had been abused and tortured and then left homeless.
Mr Sean McHugh, IMPACT's assistant general secretary, said he was wary of high-profile Government announcements in the wake of public controversies.
However, he gave a cautious welcome to the package, saying that substantial resources would have to be allocated to these services, if they were to succeed.
Mr McHugh said the union was seeking early meetings to discuss the implementation of the measures.
