Mr. Nick Henderson:

The fundamental idea here is that if we were to build accommodation, which we recommend, there would be a long lead-in time. Therefore, the groundwork for that has to be done today or very shortly for it to bear any fruit within a couple of years or even as far away as 2024. It is for that reason that we recommend different models of accommodation, including block-leasing accommodation, which the Government has already used but where there could be improvements. We recommend block-leasing and the use of private accommodation in the short term, not as a long-term measure. The benefit of that is that it is accommodation that can be drawn down sooner rather than later. As for private company and social enterprise use, there are examples of different types of accommodation being provided already. One criticism we are aware of from providers is that there is not enough clarity on what funding is going to be provided to bodies that have accommodation in this area. There needs to be greater clarity from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth or the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Regarding the regeneration and community-led schemes, and speaking in particular to Orla Hegarty's point about the considerable pool of vacant urban accommodation, her point is that turning that over will take considerably less time than new builds. As for AHB delivery, it would be a matter of working with existing projects to try to identify whether there is a possibility for a particular project of providing a small portion - a small portion, I emphasise - to protection applicants. The point we are trying to make is that we have a shared desire to end direct provision. We recommend that different accommodation streams be used but that for each stream the accommodation will become "on tap" or live at a different point in time.