Ms Tanya Ward:

Alongside it, Travellers are another group. The Senator talked about quick solutions. The 30,000 Travellers are completely over-represented in the homeless statistics, particularly outside Dublin. There are many solutions that are not being exercised by the local authorities, with money not being spent. There may be something the committee could do. Accommodating Travellers would immediately result in a significant drop in the homeless statistics. We know from Focus Ireland that at one point they represented approximately 10% of new entrants in homeless accommodation. If the solutions were exercised and the State took control of the issue, it would have an immediate effect on the numbers.