Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
248. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the serious living conditions in a hotel (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43071/19]
View answerMy Department is responsible for offering accommodation and related services to international protection applicants while their claim for protection is being examined. The Deputy will appreciate that these services are demand led and generally it is difficult to predict demand far in advance.
I am advised that, as of 13 October 2019, 7,544 persons were being provided with accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) of my Department, formerly the Reception and Integration Agency.
Currently, there are 6,066 persons residing in the 38 accommodation centres located nationwide across 18 counties. As these centres are at full capacity, there are also a further 1,478 applicants residing in 36 emergency accommodation locations in hotels and guest houses.
Every effort is made to re-accommodate applicants in emergency locations to a dedicated accommodation centre as quickly as possible and my Department is actively working on securing additional capacity, both in its existing centres and through sourcing new accommodation centres.
I can advise that, following receipt of reports on Friday 4 October 2019 of alleged overcrowding in the premises referred to by the Deputy, two officials of my Department visited the premises. They inspected and measured every room in use and also spoke to residents.
The inspection found that the living spaces, which were being provided within the premises, were in compliance with the legal requirements set out in the relevant legislation, the Housing Act 1966 (as amended). My officials have also confirmed that video footage showing beds in a windowless room is, in fact, of a storeroom which is not being used to accommodate any person.
I can further advise that my officials did not receive any adverse comment from the residents regarding the standard of the accommodation during their visit on Friday 4 October. The Deputy will be interested to note that the Office of the Ombudsman has also recently engaged with residents in these premises and did not receive complaints in relation to the standard of accommodation.
Notwithstanding that the inspection found the premises to be legally compliant and that there was no complaint received by the residents, my Department is in discussions with the company providing the premises with a view to improving the space available to the occupants of one particular room by reducing the number of beds in that room.
