Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 2

Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

471 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of refugees and new applicants for asylum who have arrived here during each of the past six months; the dispersal pattern and current policy in relation to the location throughout the country of such persons; the arrangements which have been made for housing of refugees and asylum seekers who arrived here during the past six months; if an ongoing assessment of housing needs for refugees and asylum seekers has been undertaken within his Department or by an agency of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24256/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The Reception and Integration Agency of my Department is responsible, inter alia, for meeting the accommodation needs of persons who are awaiting a determination on their asylum applications and programme refugees.

The numbers of asylum seekers who arrived in the six months to 30 September 2001 are as follows:

April 2001	741
May 2001	838
June 2001	882
July 2001	961
August 2001	983
September 2001	855

In addition, 15 persons consisting of four family groups and three individuals have been admitted to the State under a UNHCR resettlement quota programme in the last six months. Such refugees are initially offered short-term temporary accommodation in the Dublin area and are then supported by the Reception and Integration Agency in sourcing accommodation in the private rented sector. On their arrival at the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner at Mount Street, Dublin 2, all applicants for asylum are offered accommodation under the system of direct provision. New applicants are provided with accommodation initially at one of the eight reception centres currently used by the Reception and Integration Agency in the Dublin area. When their initial needs have been determined in the reception centre – generally within two weeks of making their application – they are assigned to a regional accommodation centre in accordance with the Government's policy of dispersal and direct provision.

The Reception and Integration Agency currently uses 77 accommodation centres in 24 counties for this purpose. When making placements to these centres, the agency has regard to a number of factors which include the general availability of accommodation, marital status, family size, age of children, medical and other special needs and cultural background. Moreover, the agency when procuring accommodation facilities generally, has regard to the requirement to achieve to the great est extent possible a balanced distribution of asylum seekers throughout the State commensurate with,inter alia, availability and capacity of services such as health, welfare and education as well as local population and infrastructure.

A core function of the Reception and Integration Agency is the ongoing assessment of accommodation requirements for asylum seekers and programme refugees. This includes planning for future needs and, in that regard, the agency has currently embarked upon a programme of developing purpose-built facilities which incorporate, in addition to accommodation, medical, welfare and recreational facilities. The first such facility at Knockalisheen on the outskirts of Limerick city is currently being brought into service on a phased basis. The Deputy will be aware that asylum seekers granted status and those given leave to remain in the State are entitled to access housing of every tenure.