Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Penal Reform: Simon Communities of Ireland

9:00 am

Ms Niamh Randall:

It is a data issue. The pathway accommodation and support system, PASS, collects information but that information is not always readily available to organisations like our organisations. One of our pleas is for more ready access to that information but also that we would look at mechanisms to enhance that data collection, particularly across different Departments while acknowledging data protection issues and in line with best practice relating to that. The question is how we can better collect information about people who are particularly vulnerable. If we know people are moving between the prison system and homelessness, drug and alcohol services and possibly into mental health services, we could better plan for their needs. If we are not collecting that information and sharing it appropriately-----