Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2022
143. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of asylum seekers currently in Killarney; the status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56788/22]
View answerDeputy, as of 6 November, there are 589 persons availing of International Protection Accommodation Service provided accommodation in Killarney. Of this total, 81 have permission to remain status and 508 are international protection applicants who are currently awaiting their applications to be assessed by the International Protection Office.
The pressure on the State to accommodate almost 63,000 people currently - 47,000 of whom are Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection - has led to significant shortages particularly for the international protection cohort.
Under the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018), the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is legally required to provide accommodation to international protection applicants who seek it while their claim for international protection is being determined by the Department of Justice.
The accommodation of international protection applicants (IPA) is a demand-led process with applicants arriving in the country and seeking accommodation spontaneously.
All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. As the Department has not been able to meet the capacity needs from the first advertisement of the 2022 tender process, officials continue to engage in emergency accommodation procurement to address the shortfall in capacity.
Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. There have been circa 40 accommodation locations utilised since January 2022 across 13 counties. DCEDIY is working urgently across Government and with agencies, NGOs and local authorities to bring new accommodation on board to meet State’s humanitarian responsibilities. In addition, IPPS is sourcing vacant office buildings and state owned properties in order to increase available accommodation. A number of these projects are currently being progressed. These options are necessary in order to provide shelter to international protection arrivals, to meet basic needs and to prevent homelessness.
A republished tender for IPAS to provide more own-door accommodation closed on 8 November. The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) is beginning site visits to potential locations to evaluate these options shortly. It is expected that successful tenderers from this republication will be added to accommodation provider panels in Quarter 1 of 2023.
