Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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423. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures available from her Department to assist a person (details supplied) in order to extricate themselves from homelessness; her plans to address this anomaly for persons in similar situations under 25 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18920/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned has been in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance since 30thDecember 2013 and had availed of the Back to Education programme which afforded him the higher weekly rate of payment for Jobseekers Allowance.

In March of this year the person concerned withdrew from the Back to Education programme, he was then referred to the Homeless Persons Unit, North Cumberland Street where he met with a Community Welfare Officer who provided an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) and attempted to engage with the him regarding his circumstances and how the Department might best be able to assist him at the time.

Unfortunately the person concerned has disengaged from our services. A Community Welfare Officer in the Homeless Persons Unit is attempting to contact the person to determine if we can be of any assistance to him. The person concerned may also present to the Homeless Persons Unit if they wish to progress the matter.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.