Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
584. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers to be located in each county; the number of asylum seekers already located; and the projected numbers in line with the State's commitments over the coming period. [1657/18]
View answer586. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers to be located in the cities and counties of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Sligo in 2018. [1672/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 586 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the immigration authorities have no way of predicting how many persons will arrive in the State in the future in order to seek international protection. Accordingly, projected numbers cannot be estimated. However, I can say that all applicants are offered immediate shelter, full board accommodation and a range of services such as health and education while their application for international protection is being processed.
Not every person who seeks international protection in Ireland chooses to accept this offer and many chose to live with colleagues, family or friends in communities across the country, as they are entitled to do.
In terms of the commitments made by the State, the Government established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) in September 2015 as part of the State’s humanitarian response to the migration crisis in Southern Europe. The State agreed to accept up to 4,000 asylum seekers and refugees overall into Ireland under relocation and resettlement programmes at the earliest time possible. Ireland voluntarily opted into the two EU Council Decisions on Relocation (2015/1523) and (2015/1601), which provided for the relocation of 160,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece.
By early 2018, Ireland will have admitted its entire cohort from Greece under the relocation programme (1,089) and will have admitted 1,040 persons under the European Commission’s July 2015 Resettlement scheme - double our original commitment of 520 under that scheme. The European Commission recognises Ireland as being one of only seven EU Member States to have fulfilled their resettlement pledges from the July 2015 Agreement.
By the end of the two-year EU Relocation Programme in September 2017, overall, a total of 37,000 asylum seekers were eligible and registered for relocation in Italy and Greece, of which 78% (approximately 29,000) had been relocated to other EU Member States including Ireland.
To address the balance of approximately 1,800 people under the IRPP, additional resettlement pledges have been made for 2018 and 2019 and a new Family Reunification Humanitarian Admission Programme (FRHAP) is being established.
The following tables set out the numbers that are currently accommodated by County in Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) centres, and in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROC) for those arriving to Ireland under our International Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The overall numbers include those awaiting determination of the international protection application, those granted status as a discretionary measure to assist them to transition to mainstream housing and those issued with deportation orders who are obliged to remove themselves from the State.
As a result of an increasing number of applicants seeking international protection and other factors, existing centres are virtually at full capacity. Accordingly, expressions of interest for additional accommodation facilities are currently being sought. The outcome of this process will determine where any additional centres will be located.
Reception and Integration Centres
|
County |
Current Occupancy |
|
Clare |
238 |
|
Cork |
787 |
|
Dublin |
838 |
|
Galway |
341 |
|
Kerry |
341 |
|
Kildare |
83 |
|
Laois |
194 |
|
Limerick |
200 |
|
Longford |
77 |
|
Louth |
45 |
|
Mayo |
236 |
|
Meath |
603 |
|
Monaghan |
159 |
|
Sligo |
204 |
|
Tipperary |
111 |
|
Waterford |
399 |
|
Westmeath |
268 |
|
Total: |
5,124 |
EROC Centres
|
County |
Current Occupancy |
|
Kildare |
114 |
|
Waterford |
112 |
|
Roscommon |
170 |
|
Meath |
193 |
|
Total: |
589 |
