Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1351. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has ever quantified the impact of the housing crisis on young people leaving State care; if he will provide data of the number of persons in aftercare who are living in homeless or emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40195/22]
View answerThe primary responsibility for housing and managing homelessness lies with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authorities. This responsibility includes the accommodation needs of young persons leaving all forms of State care. That Department also has responsibility for the development of a Youth Homelessness Strategy, and my Department will continue to engage in this process as required.
While my Department has not quantified the overall impact of the housing crisis on young people leaving state care, the housing crisis is likely to be impacting on the options available to all individual young persons leaving care. Accommodation needs are one aspect of the needs of a young person leaving care, which can be addressed in the context of the assessment of need leading to an aftercare plan.
As the data requested for persons in aftercare relates to Tusla operations, I have asked Tusla to provide this information directly to the Deputy.
