Ms Noelle Woods:

I will go back to the start. Our supported temporary accommodation, which accounts for a significant portion of our service provision, is over 85% in terms of our staffing complement, as in fully staffed. Our biggest challenge when we look across each different layer of provision actually lies in housing. We have been challenged particularly over the past year within the context of housing first in Dublin specifically. Throughout the period of the tender we have not been in a position to actively recruit. It has undoubtedly put additional pressures on the team collectively. We have been working with relevant stakeholders in and around this matter and certainly by no means are we naive to the complexity that comes within the cohort that is actually served under the housing first programme. Within the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, the local authorities and otherwise, they have been actively supporting us in bringing in additional supports through other NGOs, and otherwise, to try to support the staff team on the ground.

It is also important to note that the process collectively with the tender has been challenging. It has been a significant factor that has contributed towards the ongoing reduction in our staffing complement in housing first.