Ms Tanya Ward:

The issue has come to the attention of the Children's Rights Alliance through our member organisations, including BeLonG To. They have told us that young people are not being represented in the general statistics because they do not out themselves. When they are asked to identify their reason for being homeless, family breakdown comes up as one but they do not say their families have kicked them out of home because they have just come out or their families have discovered something about them. The issue is, therefore, under reported and under counted, yet it is still prevalent. BeLonG To and the other organisations have said that these young people need specific supports to find a housing solution. Some of them could end up in the care system depending on their age.

Perhaps Mr. Mooney wants to talk about the issue from that perspective and whether these young people should be in aftercare as well. Tusla should provide these young people with supports such as residential lodgings, etc. Some of the solutions might look like that for some of these young people.