Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2023
433. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if accommodation will be provided for a Ukrainian refugee and their son (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3012/23]
View answerDeputy, as of 15 January 23, there are 19,698 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole. This includes the National Reception Centre (466) and IPAS accommodation centres (6,887), temporary tented (81) and emergency (12,264) accommodation, this includes 1,086 residents in City West. Of this total, 4,086 are children.
The Department has accommodated over 15,000 international protection applicants (IPAs) in 2022. Currently, the number of new arrivals each day remains very high. In the first two weeks of 2023 alone, more than 1,500 people have arrived in Ireland seeking shelter and safety.Since 1 December 2022 to mid January, the Department has accommodated almost 1,500 international protection applicants in over 25 emergency accommodation locations. These locations comprise of re-purposed office units, schools, former religious buildings and former hospitality accommodation. The pressure to accommodate an increase of 330% in IPA arrivals from 2019 to 2022 has resulted in an acute shortfall of available accommodation. The Department has made every possible effort to secure accommodation and has sought support from the widest possible range of organisations and bodies to provide accommodation to IPAs. In regard to your query, the international protection applicant referred to and their dependant do not appear to have made a request to IPAS for accommodation. According to our records they are currently residing in private accommodation. If they wish to request IPAS accommodation they may contact the IPAS helpdesk to seek advice.
The IPAS helpdesk can be contacted by email ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie.
It is also worth noting that Ukrainian nationals fleeing the war can be considered for a Temporary Protection status in Ireland. The people in question should contact the International Protection Office in this regard.
Deputy, I trust this information clarifies the matter.
