Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
663. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has ever quantified the impact of the housing crisis on young persons leaving State care; if he will provide data on the number of persons in after care who are living in homeless or emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40221/22]
View answerStatutory responsibility for young persons leaving State care rests with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Responsibility for the oversight of Tusla rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Under the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, have a statutory obligation to prepare an aftercare plan for each eligible child and young person. This plan encompasses the range of supports that a young person may need from all service providers, including Tusla, to help them make the transition to independent adult life. This plan must specifically include consideration of the young person’s needs in relation to accommodation.
My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by local authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/ and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's open data portal, data.gov.ie/. The most recently published data is in respect of May 2022.
My Department does not collect data on whether individuals who access emergency accommodation are in aftercare. However I understand that local authorities may, as part of an initial assessment, inquire as to whether an individual has a history of being in care as a child. My Department has not undertaken any study to assess the impact of young persons leaving State care. However, in line with Housing for All, my Department is currently preparing a dedicated Youth Homelessness Strategy. The aim of this Strategy is to help people who are aged 18-24 and who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This Strategy, through extensive consultation with key stakeholders including service providers and young people who are experiencing homelessness, has identified care leavers as a specific cohort vulnerable to homelessness.
It is clear that the Strategy requires an integrated, whole-of-Government approach, with a multitude of key stakeholders playing a vital role in addressing the fundamental issues arising in addressing youth homelessness.
The specific actions of the Strategy are in the process of being finalised with a view to publishing the Strategy in September 2022.
