Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Those are excellent questions. I understand that is being considered and will revert to the Deputy more specifically on this. The Deputy's questions relate to supports, including financial and educational, for care leavers. She also indicated concerns over where they go, where they live and so on. We have taken some significant steps for the 9% who leave care and are at the most pronounced risk of entering unsuitable accommodation due to the complexity of their support needs.

They are being included for the first time in the category of funding under the capital assistance scheme to recognise those complex needs. My Department has worked with Tusla and approved housing bodies, AHBs, to identify where housing that will be used for those care leavers who have more complex needs and that will allow them to be supported while living independently can be accessed and set up. At the end of 2018, some 30 properties had been acquired, 20 more were sale agreed, while ten young people were in tenancy under the scheme with more to follow.

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