Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1265. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the type and length of training given to staff of hotels and other venues which accommodate refugees or asylum seekers before they can interact with refugees or asylum seekers. [43784/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware there has been an unprecedented increase in the arrival of International Protection (IP) applicants. This is in addition to the Ukrainian crisis, with a total of over 15,000 IPs being accommodated by IPAS currently.
Since 1 January 2022 over 9,497 international protection applicants have arrived in Ireland. In the past 12 months this figure rises to just short of 12,000. The average arrival figure for IP applicants for the previous 10 years was 3,500.
The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) procures accommodation for international protection applicants. Since 24 February IPPS has worked to facilitate the accommodation solutions for both IP applicants and circa 36,000 Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs), an unprecedented volumes of persons seeking refuge in Ireland.
The pressure to accommodate over 45,000 people since the start of the year has led to significant shortages particularly for the international protection cohort. The Department has been forced to avail of all offers of accommodation made to it, including the use of office buildings, sports centres and other premises in order to address the accommodation shortfall.
Temporary emergency accommodation is contracted to provide accommodation and fully catered meals. It is not contracted as a dedicated IPAS accommodation centre so there is no requirement for staff to undergo specific training, other than standard requirements. However, IPAS works with providers to assist their staff on IPAS processes and procedures.
IPAS seek to move people from temporary emergency accommodation to dedicated accommodation centres in the shortest timeframe possible.
IPAS arranges clinics run by IPAS staff at all locations in order to provide an in person opportunity to applicants to raise any issue a resident may have. In addition IPAS works with NGOS who provide clinics at a variety of locations. In some emergency accommodation facilities there are NGOs working on site to support residents.
There is also a dedicated resident welfare helpline run by a NGO and funded by the Department where residents can raise any concerns or seek assistance as needed.
Residents can also seek assistance from the Department through the IPAS Helpdesk - ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie.
