Ms Mary Hayes:

That is fair enough. With regard to the transition to State-owned accommodation, we will be dependent on both for now given the numbers in emergency accommodation. There is a desire to reduce our dependency on private emergency operators. Along with the Department of housing, we are certainly interested in exploring whether we could acquire and purchase some properties that would be suitable for use as emergency accommodation. We are exploring that as an alternative to reduce the cost of emergency accommodation.

On the question of direct provision, the answer to any problem should never be homelessness. I worry about those transition points between institutions and the transition from direct provision into homelessness. We are seeing it in single homelessness and in the number of family reunification applicants who are presenting to us as homeless. All of these people have rights and entitlements. We should not use homelessness as the answer to another issue. It is not appropriate. I would like to get more traction and get more joined up as regards how people can move out of direct provision without having to face homelessness and without that being part of the equation.