Dr. Una Burns:

I thank the Senator. Novas has worked with children who are homeless since about 2005. It was a rare occurrence at the time and the work was largely preventative. What Professor O'Sullivan spoke about, regarding Threshold's work to prevent homelessness, is vital. Homelessness among children is an adverse childhood experience. It is probably one of the worst adverse childhood experiences and the longer it goes on, the more enduring and difficult it is for children to deal with it. It is important that we prevent children and families from becoming homeless. The pandemic bringing about the moratorium in evictions has been important in stemming the flow into homelessness. We can learn much from that and we need to extend it.

When children become homeless, evidence both nationally and internationally has shown that the duration of their homelessness needs to be kept to a minimum. Six months has been the key point for families spending time in hubs. It needs to be less than that. The longer it goes on, the worse the childhood experience becomes and the greater the impact in later life. We need to use hubs for short periods as safe environments which are supported by resettlement staff to get people into long-term secure tenancies.

Sharon Lambert has spoken about this on numerous occasions. Adults who live in homeless accommodation, particularly those who are entrenched in the cycle of homelessness, will often have spent periods homeless when they were children. In 20 years' time, for example, the impact this will have on children may be significant. Prevention, therefore, is essential, whether that is through HAP, direct builds or whatever it is.

Senator Fitzpatrick asked about the issue in other parts of the country. The HAP discretion rate outside Dublin is 20%, while in Dublin it is 50%, which is a key issue because the 20% rate is just not enough. Simon Communities published a report earlier this week that showed that not one property in the private rented market in Limerick can be accessed through HAP, nor even through the 20% elevated homeless HAP. If it is working well in Dublin, we probably need to consider rolling it out elsewhere, even on an interim basis until more public and social housing becomes available. Again, it is about prevention and that we is what we need to examine. Instead of trying to fix the problem afterwards, we should get in there before the person becomes homeless. That is vital.