3. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will intervene to prevent the closure of homeless prevention services in an organisation (details supplied) in Cork in mid-January; and to ensure the service does not cease in providing vital community support to homeless young people through social care and work [73584/25]

Sentiment score: 0.43

Will the Minister give a commitment to intervene to prevent the closure in mid-January of a homeless prevention service in Cork, and to ensure the service does not cease to provide vital community support to homeless young people through social care work?

Sentiment score: 0.91

I thank the Minister for the update but the information I have is that Liberty Street House will be out of staff by mid-January and is currently not recruiting. I understand it has not replaced the staff who have left, been redeployed or have retired. I want the Minister to be right, and I hope she is right, in what she has just said here. Liberty Street House has been operating very successfully for the last two decades in providing really vital services for young people who are at risk of homelessness. It is said now that it is being amalgamated with Tusla's front door teams. At one stage Liberty Street House was helping over 200 young people. Maybe the Minister's information is more correct but I am telling her, from the people who work on the ground, that the staff will be gone by mid-January. If the Minister is saying that is not the case, we need clarity on the matter. This is a vital service for young people at risk of homelessness.

Sentiment score: 0.35

I have two worries on foot of the Minister's comments. She is saying that the services are being integrated. Is Liberty Street House being closed down? Liberty Street House provides a service to young people who are at risk of homelessness and who enter homelessness. I am looking for a commitment now that this will not be closed down. The information I have is from people who are in the know. They have told me that no additional staff have been taken on to replace those who have left through retirements and redeployments, and that the few who remain will be gone by the middle or end of January. The Minister talks about integrating services, which sounds great, but I am worried about the children who are not as severely at risk, such as a young person who is at risk of homelessness. A young person who is sleeping on the streets needs intervention, 100%, but there is no point in a young person who is at risk of becoming homeless ending up on the streets too. We need both types of children to be looked after. I am worried, in light of what is being proposed now, that Tusla is going down a different road. We need to save Liberty Street House.

Sentiment score: -0.00

Go raibh maith agat.

Sentiment score: 0.00