John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before we conclude, I want to refer specifically to Mr. McCarthy's proposition and proposals, so that we can be clear. He indicated that 72% of people presenting to Tiglin, or almost three out of four, had a homelessness issue. Is that particular to Tiglin, or does he believe that to be the case across the board? This is not solely a Tiglin issue; it is an issue across the rest of the residential rehabilitation centres.

When Deputy Butler spoke I was struck by the fact that the length of time people are in treatment in Tiglin is longer than some of the other centres. When someone stays somewhere for two or four weeks, rent allowance is not the same issue as it would be in the case of a person who was staying somewhere for six or 12 months. Mr. McCarthy might like to comment on the normal duration of stays. I cannot see how a proposal for two weeks, with rent allowance following, could be the same as a proposal involving a six-month or longer-term commitment, step-down periods and so forth.