Written Answers Nos. 563-582
563. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when laptops ordered to assist students with online and blended learning will be available to Cork Institute of Technology students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24186/20]
View answerAs part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department has allocated €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices.
This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models of learning as a result of COVID-19 and the importance of supporting disadvantaged students to adapt to these new models.
The €15 million allocation is being provided as grant funding to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) for the procurement of devices. These devices will then be distributed to disadvantaged students via targeted lending schemes.
Given the unprecedented global demand for laptops, HEIs and ETBs were given the opportunity to use all or part of their grant funding to participate in a bulk purchase of over 16,700 laptops organised by HEAnet. An inital delivery of devices has been dispatched and is expected to arrive at various HEIs this week, with the remaining deliveries following over the coming weeks.
Students of Cork Institute of Technology who consider they may be eligible for a device should contact the CIT Access Service for further information.
564. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Exchequer-funded projects over €1 billion overseen by his Department; the expected rise in cost in both numerical amount and percentage terms in tabular form, and delays as a result of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24311/20]
View answerThe Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is not currently overseeing any individual Exchequer-funded project in excess of €1 billion.
565. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice if the Garda station at Freshford, County Kilkenny, is being disposed of by public tender. [23502/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that Freshford Garda Station, Kilkenny was not included in the Garda Station Rationalisation Programmes of 2012 or 2013, and therefore remains an operational Garda Station.
566. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Justice the reason Ireland has not signed the Lanzarote Convention to date; when Ireland will sign the convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23561/20]
View answerAt the outset it is important to note that Ireland’s laws are already in line with the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (commonly referred to as the Lanzarote Convention).
This was largely achieved by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. The 2017 Act brought in a new offence of accessing child pornography online and criminalised grooming behaviour, such as communicating with a child online for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Even prior to this Act, our legislation on child pornography included images of a person generated or modified by computer-graphics.
My Department has now completed a detailed review of compliance with the Convention. This review was carried out in consultation with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and other relevant stakeholders, such as the Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive, who have provided detailed information regarding the child protection, prevention and victim support aspects of the Convention, in order to establish Ireland's compliance with its operational elements.
Following completion of this review and on foot of the advice of the Attorney General, I am pleased to confirm that Ireland is in a position to proceed toward ratification. I will take the necessary steps, in co-operation with my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to secure the approval of Government and subsequently Dáil Éireann as soon as practically possible.
The Deputy may be interested to know that an update to this effect on Ireland's position regarding ratification was given to the virtual meeting of the Council of Europe Lanzarote Committee held on 15-17 June.
567. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the steps she has taken to introduce equality legislation prohibiting discrimination on grounds of socio-economic disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23625/20]
View answerMy Department has commissioned the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice and University College Dublin to carry out research on the question of adding a discriminatory ground of socio-economic status to the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 and the Equality Status Acts 2000-2015.
The research involves:
- A review of literature that analyses the inclusion of socio-economic status as a discriminatory ground under Irish or EU Member State equality legislation, and
- Review and analysis of primary sources, principally in the form of case law and legislative provisions, across the EU Member States.
The findings of this research, the first draft of which will inform future policy in the area of equality, are due to be completed at the end of September 2020. This will be a matter for Minister O'Gorman to progress following the transfer of this function to his Department.
568. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice when the White Paper on direction provision will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23626/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the current system of Direct Provision within the lifetime of the Government and to replace it with a new international protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach.
Last year, Dr Catherine Day was asked to bring together an expert group with representation from asylum seekers and NGOs to examine best practice in other European States in the provision of services to international protection applicants, to examine likely longer term trends and to set out recommendations and solutions. Any new system for the provision of accommodation and additional supports to international protection applicants will be informed by the Report of this Expert Group, which is expected to be delivered shortly and will be submitted to Government thereafter.
The intention is to publish a White Paper by the end of this year, informed by the recommendations of the Expert Group, which will set out how a replacement to the Direct Provision system will be structured and the steps to achieving it. It will be a matter for the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration to progress the matter and to make any decisions around future accommodation provision following the transfer of this function to his Department.
569. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Justice when the direct provision portfolio will be moved to the Department with responsibility for children, disability, equality and integration; if the International Protection Accommodation Service and other relevant agencies will be moved to the Department; her views on the impact the move will have on the day-to-day administration of the service and relevant agencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23264/20]
View answerThe transfer of functions between Departments is governed by the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924-2017, and will be determined by a Government decision and resulting Transfer of Functions Order.
The implementation of the transfer of functions is also guided by the Transfer of Functions Guidelines and Best Practice Handbook developed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This is available online at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a490d1-transfer-of-functions-guidelines-and-best-practice-handbook/
In line with the Guidelines, a working group has been established within my Department to arrange the transfer of functions on foot of the new allocation of responsibilities. This group is working with officials in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to make appropriate arrangements for the transfer. In addition, my Department is also working with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in respect of the drafting of the Transfers of Functions Order.
I expect that final arrangements will be agreed, subject to Government approval, within the timelines set out under the Guidelines. In line with the guidelines, staff working on the functions to be transferred will move with the functions. Therefore, the staff of the International Protection Accommodation Service and the International Protection Procurement Service will transfer to the restructured Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
The intention is to publish a White Paper by the end of this year, informed by the recommendations of the Expert Group led by Dr Catherine Day, which will set out how a replacement to the Direct Provision system will be structured and the steps to achieving it. This will be a matter for Minister O'Gorman to progress following the transfer of this function to his Department.
570. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Justice the options available to public representatives to address urgent matters regarding direct provision centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23265/20]
View answerThere are a number of avenues available to public representatives to raise matters with me or directly with officials of my Department in respect of direct provision accommodation centres.
Public representatives can make representations on behalf of a person or a group by writing to my office by post or by e-mail or by telephone.
Contact details are available on my Department's website - http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Contact_Us
For your convenience I list them below -
Address: Department of Justice and Equality, 51 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 HK52
Email: info@justice.ie
Telephone: (01) 602 8202
Lo-call: 1890 221 227
Public representatives may also raise queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases directly to my Department using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose - INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie.
Deputies can, of course, also raise matters through the Parliamentary Questions process.
It is also possible for any resident of an accommodation centre, public representative or member of the wider public to directly contact the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department by telephone, e-mail, in writing or through an on-line contact page. Full details of the contact numbers and addresses are at:
http://www.ria.gov.ie/en/RIA/Pages/Contact_Us
My Department endeavours to respond to all queries within the shortest possible time-frame.
Responsibility for the provision of accommodation to international protection applicants will transfer to the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration following the completion of the necessary legislation.
571. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the status of an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23352/20]
View answerThe application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. The nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
If the applicant has a query in respect of their application, they should contact the Citizenship Division of the Department at citizenshipinfo@justice.ie.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
572. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice when the Civil Debt (Procedures) Act 2015 will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23362/20]
View answerThe Civil Debt (Procedures) Act 2015 was enacted in July 2015 but has not been commenced. As well as providing for attachment of earnings, the Act provides for deductions from social welfare payments.
It is envisaged that the Act will be commenced once the drafting of the necessary Rules of Court has concluded and once the appropriate procedures have been put in place in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in respect of deductions from social welfare payments.
While the Rules of Court are at an advanced stage of preparation, there are some technical and administrative difficulties in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which means that the Act cannot be commenced at this time.
573. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice her plans to propose amendments to the Personal Insolvency Act 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23367/20]
View answerThis important legislation is kept under review, and any further action needed to ensure that it operates effectively will be taken. My Department is currently engaged in preparatory work for two sets of changes to the legislation.
Firstly, my officials are considering a small number of requirements under the Personal Insolvency Acts which may be difficult or impracticable to comply with in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparation is well advanced and the intention is to bring forward a short urgent Bill for Government approval, in order to make any necessary amendments as soon as possible.
Secondly, my officials are already working to complete the major statutory review of the Personal Insolvency Acts, following the earlier public consultation already held, and now, in addition, to ensure that this review will also take full account of the latest developments and particularly, the significant economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.
I expect the review report to be finalised by the end of November, following further consultations with the Department of Finance, as required by s. 141 of the Acts, and with the Office of the Attorney General.
The Insolvency Acts 2012 to 2015 already provide for a number of mechanisms to help individuals who are unable to pay their debts by reason of insolvency, namely Debt Relief Notices, Debt Settlement Arrangements, and Personal Insolvency Arrangements (which apply to people with secured debts such as mortgages and unsecured debt) and the insolvency legislation and infrastructure has already been extensively reviewed and developed since 2012.
Key reforms introduced include the section 115A court review process (which removed the so-called ‘bank veto’) enacted in 2015, interlocking reforms to bankruptcy legislation also enacted in 2015, and the introduction in 2016, and extension in 2019, of the Abhaile Mortgage Resolution Service, which in effect ensures that borrowers at risk of losing their homes due to mortgage arrears can access free independent expert financial and legal advice and in certain cases legal aid.
574. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23368/20]
View answerAn application for naturalisation in relation to the person referred to is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements, not only within the State but also at European Union as well as international level. It is therefore important that appropriate procedures are in place to ensure that the integrity of the regime for granting Irish citizenship through the naturalisation process is held in high regard both at home and internationally. These procedures are continually evolving arising from, for example, service improvements due to the introduction of new technology and updated work practices.
The nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases can take longer than others to process. Additional security checks can result in some applications taking longer than this average timescale. Such checks are fundamental to maintaining the legitimacy of the naturalisation process both nationally and internationally.
In addition, processing timescales can be impacted due to incomplete applications having to be returned, further documentation being required from the applicant, or where payment of the required certificate fee is awaited, or the applicant has not been engaging with the Immigration Service Delivery of my Department. Sometimes the input of several government agencies, both within and without this jurisdiction is needed and the request and receipt of information from these sources can result in delays in processing some applications. In other instances issues can arise at the final stage of the naturalisation process, for example, where additional information comes to light which requires to be considered before a final decision is taken.
Processing times have increased in the last number of years due to the introduction of increased checks, the impact of judicial challenges such as the Jones case in 2019, and the volume of applications received.
If the applicant has a query in respect of their application, they can contact the Citizenship Division directly at citizenshipinfo@justice.ie.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
575. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for postnuptial citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); the status of the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23392/20]
View answerThe law governing post-nuptial citizenship in Ireland was set out in Section 8 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 as amended. However, since 29 November 2005, these provisions were ended and consequently it is no longer possible to make a declaration of post-nuptial citizenship based on marriage to an Irish citizen. Any declarations which were made prior to this date have been completed.
Any declarations received after 29 November 2005 were returned. The information supplied suggest that the declaration was completed by the person in 2006. Such an application would not have been accepted and should have been returned to the person concerned. Furthermore, the Citizenship Division of my Department have advised that they have no record of the person concerned on their system.
It is open to the person concerned to make an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. In the case of a non national applicant who is the spouse of an Irish citizen those conditions are that the applicant must:
(a) be of full age
(b) be of good character
(c) be married to the Irish citizen for at least 3 years
(d) be in a marriage recognised under the laws of the State as subsisting
(e) be living together as husband and wife with the Irish spouse
(f) have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the island of Ireland immediately before the date of the application and,
(g) during the four years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the island of Ireland amounting to two years.
(h) intend in good faith to continue to reside in the island of Ireland after naturalisation.
(i) have made, either before a Judge of the District Court in open court or in such a manner as the Minister, for special reasons allows, a declaration in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State.
Further information and the necessary application forms can be found on the website of the Immigration Service www.inis.gov.ie.
576. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice if a search warrant sought by An Garda Síochána can be signed by a peace commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23400/20]
View answer577. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice if a search warrant sought by An Garda Síochána can be signed by a commissioner for oaths; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23401/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 576 and 577 together.
I have requested information on the matters the Deputy has raised, and will revert to him in the coming days.
578. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the percentage of persons working in direct provision centres who have received training on LGBT+ issues in line with indicator 2.4.8(f) of the national standards for direct provision centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23438/20]
View answer579. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of direct provision centres that have leaflets and posters on LGBT+ services in line with indicator 9.1.6 of the national standards for direct provision centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23439/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 579 together.
The National Standards for Accommodation offered to persons in the international protection process were published in August 2019 and are due to come into force in January 2021. The National Standards apply to the living conditions and services provided to residents within accommodation centres. They apply to all service providers contracted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department to operate and manage accommodation and reception centres.
The National Standards were developed through an Advisory Group that included representatives from Government Departments, state agencies, UNHCR Ireland and the NGO sector. The Standards will address a range of themes including accommodation; food and catering; individual, community and family life; health and wellbeing; governance; and meeting the special reception needs of applicants. These reforms aim to build on the improvements arising from recommendations in the McMahon Report and meet the requirements of the EU Recast Reception Conditions Directive (Directive 2013/33/EU) which we voluntarily opted into in June 2018.
While my Department currently holds responsibility for the implementation of standards and reception conditions, this responsibility will transfer to my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration once the necessary secondary legislation is completed.
A White Paper considering the totality of the international protection process, including the provision of accommodation, is due to be published by the end of this year. It will be a matter for Minister O’Gorman to decide on how the National Standards will be implemented as part of this process.
A Policy and Practice Document on safeguarding residents against Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence and Harassment is implemented in our accommodation centres, which includes safeguarding residents from harassment or violence based on their sexual orientation.
IPAS staff are present at the International Protection Office when a person first applies for international protection. Should an applicant require accommodation or other services, IPAS determines the most suitable accommodation based on the needs of each individual or family group. Where a person discloses their self-determined identity to IPAS, they are, in so far as is possible and practicable, assigned accommodation based on their needs. This determination may include the provision of shared accommodation with a partner who is also seeking accommodation or being accommodated within the Direct Provision system. This would, of course, only apply where this information is disclosed.
At any time during their stay in an accommodation centre, a resident has the option to request a transfer to a more suitable centre. The policy of IPAS is to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of all residents. Staff working in accommodation centres receive regular training to equip them with the skills to support all residents.
IPAS liaises with State and NGO support agencies to assist our residents who may need guidance or support. In this regard, LGBT Ireland work with residents in our centres who identify as LGBTI+.
580. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if the public consultation on hate speech and hate crime will be published; if so, the date it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23440/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to introducing, within 12 months, legislation to address those who target victims because of their association with a particular identity characteristic, and to revise and update the Incitement to Hatred Act and I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working to prepare this legislation on hate crime and hate speech as a priority.
As part of the work to revise and update the Incitement to Hatred Act a comprehensive public consultation has been carried out which included a public survey and an opportunity for stakeholders to make formal submissions. This consultation was conducted to ensure that the Department fully understands the lived experience of those impacted by hate speech and hate crime as well as the views of professionals and other stakeholders in the field. This is necessary to ensure the laws developed are robust, clearly understood and effective in dealing with unacceptable incidents.
I was delighted with the high level of engagement by the public with this topic and can inform the Deputy that my Department received in the region of 3,800 written responses to the consultation, including approximately 175 detailed written submissions
In addition to this widespread public consultation and in order to ensure we draft legislation that is effective, my Department carried out comparative research on international best practice on hate crime legislation.
This research is currently being finalised and I expect it will be published in the coming weeks.
There will be a further opportunity for stakeholders to share their views when the legislative proposals on this important issue are published for discussion.
581. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider amending legislation to toughen penalties for dog theft; the other measures which are currently being considered to act as an effective deterrent.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23467/20]
View answerI am very conscious of the huge distress that can be caused by the crime of dog theft and the strong emotional bonds that owners have with their pets.
I can inform the Deputy that there is already comprehensive legislation in place to address such crimes of theft and fraud as well as related animal welfare offences, including:
- The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013;
- Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1965;
- Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 provides for offences of theft, the handling of stolen property and the possession of stolen property. The offence of theft provided for by this legislation would, based on the broad nature of the offence, include the theft of dogs. A maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment is provided for in the case of offences of theft and handling of stolen property; while a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment is provided for the offence of possession of stolen property.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that approximately 205 domestic dogs and/or pets were reported stolen to An Garda Síochána in 2019 and approximately 172 pets were reported stolen from January 2020 up to 26 August 2020. I am advised that these figures are approximate as they are based on descriptions given on the PULSE system.
With regard to measures aimed at preventing such thefts, I am further informed that information has recently been disseminated to the Crime Prevention Officers Network countrywide specifically dealing with the topic of dog thefts. The Garda National Crime Prevention Unit's advice on pet safety concurs with the advice from animal welfare groups and animal insurance companies about keeping animals safe. Some of this information can be viewed online at https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/dog-theft-crime-prevention-advice.html
Ongoing patrols throughout the country also act as a deterrent to travelling criminals and thereby help prevent criminal activity. Improved awareness of dog thefts among the community will ensure more vigilance within neighbourhood watch and community alert areas.
An Garda Síochána have highlighted several successful seizures of dogs where the dogs were suspected to have been stolen. There was an arrest connected with the seizure of ten suspected stolen dogs in Co. Limerick on August 1, 2020. Gardaí have also seized 32 dogs near Swords that are believed to be stolen with an estimated value in excess of €120,000.
Officers of Customs and Excise (a division of the Revenue Commissioners), as well as members of An Garda Síochána, have responsibility for searching vehicles at our ports of entry to deter ongoing criminal activity, including that of attempts to smuggle animals into and out of the State. Animals found without the necessary paperwork under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 are seized and handed into the care of the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the relevant Local Authority as appropriate under Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986.
582. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Justice the amount paid to each direct provision service provider in 2019; the number of residents at each direct provision centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23513/20]
View answerAll accommodation centres for people seeking international protection, whether State-owned or privately owned, are operated by commercial companies under contract. There are currently 43 accommodation centres being operated under the Direct Provision reception system, along with a reception centre for newly arrived applicants in Balseskin, Co. Dublin.
My Department contracts for an all-inclusive service, which includes catering services, as well as cleaning, maintenance and laundry services. It is my Department's policy not to disclose financial information on individual contracts for the most recent two years. This was agreed with the Office of the Information Commissioner.
It is not appropriate to provide the current individual contract values entered into by my Department. Negotiations take place with a number of commercial entities on an on-going basis with a clear focus on achieving the best value for money in respect of each contract. It is not in the interests of yielding best value for the taxpayer that the details of current individual contracts are made available to other commercial bodies who are, or may be in the future, engaged in these negotiations.
Notwithstanding this, and in line with the Freedom of Information Acts, contract values for each centre for each year up to and including contracts which terminated in 2018 are available on the website http://www.ria.gov.ie/, a copy of which I have provided a link to below.
The numbers accommodated in each accommodation centre, as of 6 September 2020, is provided in the table below.
|
- |
Accommodation Centre |
No. |
|
1 |
Knockalisheen |
209 |
|
2 |
King Thomond |
121 |
|
3 |
Clare Lodge Hostel |
47 |
|
4 |
Ashbourne Hse |
88 |
|
5 |
Davis Lane |
55 |
|
6 |
Kinsale Road |
281 |
|
7 |
Glenvera |
96 |
|
8 |
Millstreet |
275 |
|
9 |
Clonakilty Lodge |
98 |
|
10 |
The Towers |
194 |
|
11 |
The Central Inn |
39 |
|
12 |
Eglinton |
171 |
|
13 |
Great Western House |
94 |
|
14 |
Atlas House (Killarney) |
92 |
|
15 |
Atlas House (Tralee) |
95 |
|
16 |
Atlantic Lodge |
53 |
|
17 |
Johnston Marina |
68 |
|
18 |
Linden House |
79 |
|
19 |
Park Lodge |
37 |
|
20 |
Hazel |
82 |
|
21 |
Eyrepowell |
115 |
|
22 |
Hibernian Hotel |
48 |
|
23 |
Montague |
189 |
|
24 |
Carraig Accommodation Centre |
93 |
|
25 |
Hanratty's |
89 |
|
26 |
Griffin House |
65 |
|
27 |
Richmond Court |
65 |
|
28 |
Carroll Village (19 Apt) |
78 |
|
29 |
The Old Convent |
222 |
|
30 |
Mosney |
594 |
|
31 |
St Patricks |
237 |
|
32 |
Marian Hostel |
90 |
|
33 |
Globe House |
177 |
|
34 |
Bridgewater House |
133 |
|
35 |
Riverside |
74 |
|
36 |
Atlantic House |
73 |
|
37 |
Ocean View |
96 |
|
38 |
Birchwood |
126 |
|
39 |
Viking House |
76 |
|
40 |
Temple Accommodation |
104 |
|
41 |
Athlone |
261 |
|
42 |
Rosslare Port Lodge |
85 |
|
43 |
The Grand Hotel |
87 |
|
44 |
Baleskin Reception Centre |
264 |
|
- |
Total |
5,715 |
A further 1,382 people were being accommodated in temporary accommodation in hotels and guest houses on that date due to a lack of available capacity in our permanent centres, including as a result of increased social and physical distancing measures required in centres due to COVID-19. It is not my Department's policy to identify such temporary accommodation premises.
Of the 7,097 people being provided with accommodation by my Department, 810 people have an international protection status or a permission to remain in the State and therefore have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals. Considerable work is being undertaken to support these residents to move out of accommodation centres and into secure permanent accommodation. My Department has a specific team who work in collaboration with Depaul Ireland, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and the City and County Managers Association to collectively support these residents to access housing options. Between January and July of this year, 694 people have moved to accommodation in the community, of whom 508 received assistance from the support services outlined.
