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Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Questions (811, 812)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

811. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of single persons and families with children in direct provision centres per county; the number in this type of emergency accommodation for periods (details supplied), respectively in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32918/19]

View answer

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

812. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of single persons and families with children seeking asylum being held in hotel rooms, bed and breakfasts and guesthouses by county; the number in this type of emergency accommodation for periods (details supplied), respectively in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32919/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 811 and 812 together.

The statistical data requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement attached, which covers the period up until 18 July 2019.

Under EU and international law, Ireland, like other countries, is obliged to examine the claim of any person who comes here and claims international protection under defined grounds.

While an international protection claim is being examined, the State offers accommodation and related services to anyone who accepts that offer. This includes all meals, medical care and utilities. A weekly personal allowance is paid to each person and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection cover exceptional needs.

Children of International Protection applicants can attend local mainstream primary and post-primary schools and the HSE provides health services. This is a whole-of-Government approach to supports and services for applicants.

There is no obligation on anyone to accept the offer of accommodation. Applicants may source their own private accommodation and there is no restriction on the freedom of movement of applicants throughout the State.

The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is experiencing significant upward pressure on its accommodation portfolio due to an increase in the numbers of persons claiming international protection and a growth in the percentage of protection applicants who require assistance with accommodation.

In order to ensure that the State can continue to provide accommodation for all protection applicants and continue to comply with the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive, which was transposed into Irish law in 2018, RIA has, since September 2018, arranged for the provision of emergency beds where the mainstream accommodation centres were at capacity.

There is also a need to resolve the issue of suitable mainstream housing for over 750 people residing in RIA accommodation who have an international protection status or a permission to remain in the State. Enabling these people to transition into mainstream housing will free up capacity in our accommodation centres. This in turn will allow those people currently in emergency accommodation to remain in emergency accommodation for as short a period as possible. The Department is providing funding to organisations like Depaul Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust to assist people with status to transition to mainstreaming housing.

RIA’s regional procurement process is also advancing and will be continuing throughout the year. Following the assessment process and as RIA identifies new accommodation centres to be opened, coordinated communications will be initiated including with all relevant local authorities and State partners such as the HSE, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Employment and Social Protection.

Family Breakdown in RIA Accommodation July 18th 2019

County

RIA Accommodation Centre

Single Males

Single Female

Married/Partners no Children

Married/Partners with Child(ren)

Lone Parent Family

Clare

Knockalisheen

146

20

1

8

8

King Thomond

0

16

6

20

16

Ashbourne Hse

2

1

5

13

8

Davis Lane

1

1

1

7

3

Kinsale Road 

117

45

3

12

22

Glenvera

120

4

0

0

1

Millstreet

41

20

5

24

27

Cork

Clonakilty Lodge

4

5

6

10

17

The Towers

48

56

3

10

17

Hatch Hall 

54

40

2

7

8

Dublin

Balseskin

88

40

10

15

22

Eglinton

1

43

1

19

24

Galway

Great Western House

156

0

0

0

0

Atlas House (Killarney)

4

15

2

5

14

Atlas House (Tralee)

101

0

0

0

0

Atlantic Lodge 

45

17

0

5

1

Johnston Marina

2

22

5

7

7

Linden House

54

0

0

0

0

Kerry

Park Lodge

0

43

0

0

0

Hazel

64

9

1

6

3

Kildare 

Eyrepowell

47

30

0

6

7

Hibernian Hotel

0

1

3

4

9

Laois

Montague

92

34

5

6

13

Hanratty's

101

5

1

0

0

Limerick

Mount Trenchard

78

0

0

0

0

Longford

Richmond Court 

73

0

0

0

0

Louth 

Carroll Village (APT)

7

4

0

6

6

Mayo

The Old Convent

20

15

0

15

33

Meath

Mosney

60

53

9

76

81

Monaghan 

St. Patricks 

38

21

2

17

15

Sligo

Globe House

89

46

0

9

5

Tipperary

Bridgewater House

31

16

2

18

15

Atlantic House

79

0

0

0

0

Ocean View

12

7

1

19

15

Birchwood

28

26

2

10

13

Waterford

Viking House

76

0

0

0

0

Wicklow

The Grand Hotel

37

13

1

9

5

Temple  Accommodation

36

23

0

3

3

Westmeath

Athlone

76

4

3

27

30

Family Breakdown in Emergency Accommodation July 18th 2019

Single Males

Single Female

Married/Partners no Child(ren)

Married/Partners with Child(ren)

Lone Parent Family

Emergency Accommodation

440

191

38

41

56

*Single=no Children/Families Married/Partner no Child(ren)=Couples with no Children, Married/Partner with Chid(ren)=Couples with One Child or More

Lone Parent Family=Single Adults with one or more child(ren)

For the columns Married/Partners no Child(ren), Married with Child(ren), Lone Parent Families, each number represents a single family unit which may include one or more children. Accordingly, the number of units is counted, not the number of individuals.

These figures are a snapshot of data generated on AISIP Reports on July 18th 2019

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