Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

When is the assessment of need due to be carried out or completed? As the Minister said, the national Housing First implementation plan identified 1,349 people with high support needs. They are people who have been sleeping rough or who have been homeless over the long term. It identifies a particular group of people who could really benefit from Housing First. The strategy also planned to provide places for half of these people who really need them. I welcome what the programme for Government says about expanding Housing First but what I really want to ask is whether the Minister will expand the initiative so that all of the finite targeted group with high support needs, who have been identified as those who would benefit from a Housing First tenancy, will be supported with a Housing First tenancy, instead of us continuing to put €4 million a week into emergency accommodation.

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