Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
866. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the statutory responsibility for individuals who are released from prison with no fixed abode, including whether responsibility rests with the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, or the relevant local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40026/26]
View answer867. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the person or body responsible for monitoring, supporting, and supervising individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation, including whether responsibility rests with the property owner, the local authority, the Probation Service, or another State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40032/26]
View answer868. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rehabilitation supports provided to individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation; whether these supports are delivered by qualified professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40033/26]
View answer869. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a risk assessment is carried out prior to placing an ex-prisoner in emergency accommodation, including assessment of the individual's offending history, risks to the community, and proximity to schools, preschools, and facilities for vulnerable adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40034/26]
View answer870. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any categories of offence are considered too high risk for placement in multi-occupancy emergency accommodation; if so, to list those categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40035/26]
View answer871. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide details of reports of anti-social behaviour linked to emergency accommodation facilities in Knock, Balla, Crossmolina, Swinford or other locations in County Mayo where ex-prisoners have been housed; to outline the actions taken in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40036/26]
View answer872. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the safeguarding measures in place to protect local communities, including children and vulnerable adults, when individuals with criminal convictions are placed in emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40037/26]
View answer873. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a breakdown for each of the past five years, including to date in 2026 of the number of prisoners released with no fixed abode; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40040/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 866 to 873, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will appreciate, measures to address homelessness and the provision of accommodation to persons vulnerable to homelessness are the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The Irish Prison Service has advised it maintains regular contact with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and local authorities regarding the release of prisoners who have identified themselves to the Irish Prison Services as homeless or at risk of homelessness. I am advised that all releases are planned in order to help offenders to make informed and effective transitions from prison to the community.
I am further advised that local authorities maintain statistics regarding people accessing homeless services on the “PASS” system, and the Irish Prison Service does not have access to this information.
The IPS also does not have data on hand in relation to released prisoners who present to emergency homeless services on the day of their release. Again, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government would be best placed to provide that information.
I would point out that it is entirely at the discretion of the individual in custody whether or not they choose to disclose their homeless status to prison authorities throughout their sentence. When a sentenced prisoner informs prison authorities that they were homeless prior to coming into custody, or that they are at risk of homelessness on release, they are referred to the prison-based Resettlement Service.
The IPS provides funding to Tosú (formerly IASIO) who provide resettlement co-ordinators within Irish prisons. The co-ordinators work with individual prisoners and the relevant local authority to complete their social housing application and identify accommodation solutions ahead of their release into the community. They may also work with the individual in custody to submit social welfare and medical card applications to appropriate contact points. The Irish Prison Service advises that the application for social housing can be submitted months or days in advance of the release date, dependent on the timing of the prisoner’s voluntary declaration of homelessness, which influences opportunities for response.
The below table details the number of individuals that exited prison between 2022-2025 and who sought the assistance of the Resettlement Service prior to their release, completed an application for social housing and were released from prison to attend public housing appointments for emergency homeless accommodation.
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
1,068 |
1,709 |
317 |
306 |
Where prisoners are subject to post release supervision as part of their sentence, the IPS and Probation Service collaborate to formulate a pre-release plan and develop a release plan. These include actions and the provision of supports to address identified risks associated with reoffending and to support reintegration into the community and community safety.
Since 2014, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have formally worked together on offender management issues. This includes managing the release of Complex Prisoners. Homelessness on release is a prevailing issue for the general prison population but there are particular challenges around the release of those who have committed violent or sexual offences. A Working Group was established to consider their housing needs and standard operating procedures have been developed. The issue of Complex Prisoner releases continues to be a topic which is being considered at the most senior levels of the Offender Management structures.
I am also fully committed to the principle that everyone, wherever they live in Ireland, should feel safe and be safe. Building safe and secure communities across the country by investing in An Garda Síochána is a top priority for this Government. Anti-social behaviour is a broad term often used to describe a range of actions and behaviours that violate social norms in specific contexts, and I am conscious of the very damaging impact it can have in our communities.
With regard to the Deputy’s reference to reports of anti-social behaviour in Knock, Balla, Crossmolina, Swinford or other locations in County Mayo, any such incidences should be reported to an Garda Síochána, who will respond appropriately. A number of actions are contained in the Programme for Government to reduce instances of anti-social behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities, including a commitment to enact legislation to combat anti-social behaviour, including enhancing the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Warnings (ASBWs) and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Work to progress these commitments has commenced.
