Mr. Eamonn Waters:

I will address the first comment on prisoners. On the homeless side, the Department has a good relationship with the Prison Service and Probation Service. We have protocols in place for prisoner releases and we have been doing an awful lot more work on this issue in recent times. One of the provisions of Housing for All, which may not have been up in lights, is that a particular strand of the Housing First programme for prisoner releases is being mainstreamed across the whole country. The pilot scheme was put in place by the Department of Justice and we have matched up with it and other colleagues across agencies. It is a very difficult area and is one that requires intensive supports. I agree with the Deputy's view that people who are being released from prison, be it Travellers or people from the settled community, face particular challenges and particular supports are needed to help them to maintain a life outside prison. That issue is being worked on and we co-operate.

My colleague, Mr. Benson, might have something more to say in response to the Deputy's other points.