Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
520. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many asylum seekers have been asked to leave IPAS accommodation since the beginning of 2022, broken down by county and month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2667/24]
View answerThe International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently accommodating over 26,000 people in over 200 accommodation centres throughout Ireland. Of these people, approximately 6,000 have been granted International Protection or a Leave to Remain.
Under The European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their application determined are no longer entitled to Material Reception conditions. However, IPAS continues to accommodate those with status, until such time that they progress into the community.
IPAS has a specific Transition team who work in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Local Authorities to support residents with status to exit IPAS accommodation and access other housing options. Those with status have the same housing entitlements as Irish Citizens and are supported to register with a Local Authority and, if required, to avail of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to secure alternative accommodation. In addition, those with status have the same social welfare entitlements as Irish Citizens.
Those with status for the greatest length of time are currently being offered a transfer to alternative emergency accommodation. Those being offered this transfer have been grated status for at least 18 months.
This process began in September 2022, beginning with single applicants with status for over 3 years. Currently singles/couples with status over 18 months have been notified of the offer of emergency accommodation, if they have been unable to source accommodation within 6 weeks of the dated letter.
All those with International Protection/Permission to Remain are written to once status has been granted and are advised they must now seek alternative accommodation. They are also advised that the supports of PMVT/Depaul are available to them. In the past 18 months, over 2000 people with status have left IPAS accommodation and progressed into the community.
IPAS operates a policy of withdrawing accommodation from those individuals with status or permission to remain who breach the ‘International Protection Accommodation Services House Rules and Procedures for Reception and Accommodation Centres’. A copy of these House Rules are made available to all those who live in an International Protection Accommodation Centre. This determination is made on the basis that these individuals have no legal entitlement to this accommodation and have engaged in behaviour that is detrimental to the good order of the International Protection Accommodation Centre.
Please see, in tabular format, the number of those with Status who have progressed from IPAS accommodation into the community since January 2023.
|
Month |
Grants Issued |
Progressions |
Persons with PTR Remaining in Accommodation (end of month totals) |
|
Jan 23 |
206 |
97 |
5040 |
|
Feb 23 |
142 |
118 |
5064 |
|
Mar 23 |
295 |
162 |
5197 |
|
Apr 23 |
170 |
150 |
5217 |
|
May 23 |
270 |
197 |
5290 |
|
Jun 23 |
301 |
200 |
5391 |
|
Jul 23 |
279 |
162 |
5508 |
|
Aug 23 |
284 |
142 |
5650 |
|
Sep 23 |
210 |
135 |
5725 |
|
Oct 23 |
411 |
130 |
6006 |
|
Nov 23 |
265 |
331 |
5960 |
|
Dec 23 |
276 |
178 |
6038 |
|
Total |
3109 |
2002 |
