Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 September 2020
15. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice the position regarding the relocation of residents from a direct provision centre (details supplied); when she expects the final residents to be relocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22845/20]
View answerOn 18 March 2020, in response to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department entered into a 12 month contract to use the former Skellig Star Hotel in Cahersiveen as a temporary accommodation centre for international protection applicants.
My Department's policy is always to withdraw from emergency accommodation as quickly as possible and as soon as places become available in our permanent centres. On 30 July 2020, I announced that the residents in Cahersiveen would be transferred to permanent accommodation centres, in line with that policy, and that this process would be completed as soon as possible and by no later than the end of the year.
I am pleased to say that we have fulfilled that promise and the final transfer of residents from the Skellig Star was completed last week. There are no remaining residents onsite.
Residents have been transferred to a number of centres from across our accommodation portfolio, based on an assessment of the most suitable accommodation available to meet their individual or family needs.
No new residents will be transferred into the Skellig Star following the completion of this relocation process and my Department has no plans to utilise the premises going forward.
