Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I particularly picked out a specific area. We all know there is a housing crisis. At the same time, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to cease direct provision or to work towards its cessation. This response tells us that 11 contracts involving 1,295 additional beds have been secured through this process so, in actual fact, we are going the other direction. I know there are extra burdens with regard to finding accommodation because of the war in Ukraine. Has the strategy to accommodate people been informed by the expert advisory group appointed by the Minister on foot of the White Paper on direct provision? I would like to see where we are on this. There are people in direct provision who now have status but who cannot move out because there is no accommodation for them to move into. There is a strategy but it is going in the reverse of the direction that was in the White Paper. It is important that we understand whether this has been discussed by the external advisory group.