International Protection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Questions (736)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

736. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 13 December 2022, if he will report on his further engagement with Dublin City Council in respect to converting Baggot Street Hospital into accommodation for international protection applicants; if the council supplied him with a quote for refurbishing the building, following its initial site inspection; if his Department intends to commit funding to such works, generally; and if he will report on his engagement with other Departments in respect of bringing it back into use. [56462/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to people in the International Protection process.

However, in the context of my Department's Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme (ERUP) for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BoTP) from Ukraine and as set out in response to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 13 December 2022, Dublin City Council was requested to conduct an initial site inspection of the Royal City of Dublin Hospital, Baggot Street, Dublin 2, to ascertain if it was a suitable building to be refurbished as temporary accommodation for BoTPs. The site investigation report and preliminary costings found that the building was not habitable and the work required to bring it into a habitable condition would require substantial time and money. 

Subsequently the Health Service Executive (HSE) which owns the building, indicated that it is may utilise part of the property for other purposes. Therefore, this building is no longer within the scope of my Department's ERUP and there are no plans for any further engagement.