Ms Mary Hayes:

When you are in direct provision and you have your status, if you apply for social housing you have an equal right to housing as everybody else. The question is about supporting people more actively to get private rented accommodation where they can, ensuring they are aware of their HAP eligibility and their entitlements. The Department ran a workshop recently, I think with the local authorities and the Department of justice, to make sure each side was aware of what is possible for the other and that homelessness does not become the automatic pathway.