Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
360. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget for the direct provision system in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in terms of administration, accommodation, travel, legal costs and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11158/20]
View answerThere are currently 44 dedicated accommodation centres being operated under the Direct Provision reception system, in addition to Balseskin Reception Centre, which allows for the delivery of necessary supports and services to persons newly arrived in the State.
Due to continuing increases in the numbers applying for international protection in recent years, these centres reached full operational capacity in September 2018 and my Department contracted a number of premises, hotels and guesthouses, to provide accommodation on a short-term basis until the Department could procure additional accommodation centres under a regional tendering competition. There are 37 such accommodation premises currently being used to accommodate international protection applicants on a temporary basis.
In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, my Department also opened four dedicated self-isolation facilities for residents in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Dundalk.
My Department is also operating three Emergency Reception and Accommodation Centres (EROCS) which are used to accommodate persons arriving in Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).
My Department contracts for an all-inclusive service, which includes catering services, as well as cleaning, maintenance and laundry services. The administration costs of Direct Provision from 2015 to the end of May 2020 are broken down in the table.
|
Expenditure Type |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 (to end May) |
|
Accommodation (including commercial, State-owned and self-catering). Emergency accommodation costs are included from September 2018 when such accommodation was first utilised. |
€54.895m |
€60.327m |
€65.407m |
€76.057m |
€125.936m |
€68.159m |
|
Pre-school (contributions towards some costs) |
€0.127m |
€0.112m |
€0.095m |
€0.107m |
€0.095m |
€0.047m |
|
Additional costs at State-owned centres (incl. gas, oil, water, sewage, etc) |
€1.879m |
€3.558m |
€1.742m |
€1.512m |
€1.517m |
€0.761m |
|
Transport costs (under dispersal policy) |
€0.103m |
€0.129m |
€0.093m |
€0.182m |
€0.579m |
€0.182m |
|
Miscellaneous (payments for personal hygiene products, grants to organisations and miscellaneous costs) |
€0.021m |
€0.011m |
€0.022m |
€0.135 |
€1.281m |
€0.810m |
|
Total Expenditure |
€57.025m |
€64.137m |
€67.359m |
€77.993m |
€129.408m |
€69.959m |
The 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 figures include an amount of €0.538m, €3.214m, €7.728m, €7.550m and €7.605m respectively for designated Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROC). The corresponding figure for 2020 to end May is €2.490m.
