Ms Niamh Randall:

We have found an absence of data and research in this population and the intersection between people in prison, drug and alcohol use and homelessness. That is a particular challenge. There is some research being done by other organisations such as the Irish Penal Reform Trust but we definitely need to up the ante here. How can we plan for the future if we are not monitoring and collecting data on what is happening on the ground? There is the Pathway Accommodation and Support System, PASS, developed by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and managed now by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government which collects information on those who are homeless.

There is a real need to share more information in respect of that but it also concerns that inter-agency and interdepartmental element. How can the Irish Prison Service link into that in order that we are sure that we are collecting detail from people on entry into prison and in order that we have an idea, first and foremost, of their pathway to the prison system and where they might go upon release? Some of the information we would know is that some people either do not have a housing option or do not necessarily want to go back to the area from which they have come. It could be due to issues like drug and alcohol use or it might not be safe for them to return to their communities and we need to plan better. One of the best ways to plan is to collect better research and better data.