Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
521. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline what his strategy is for unaccommodated asylum seekers during the winter cold spells; whether he has worked with Dublin Region Homeless Executive on this strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2672/24]
View answerIreland is currently accommodating more than 101,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes almost 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 26,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation.
Ireland has a legal obligation to provide accommodation and associated supports to people who arrive in this country seeking international protection under S.I. No. 230/2018 - European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018. Unfortunately, despite the tireless efforts of the Department, there is currently an accommodation shortfall, particularly with respect to single adult males.
As a result, the Department is not able to provide accommodation to all single male international protection applicants with priority given to those within this group with identified vulnerabilities.
Cabinet has approved a proposal, in line with EU’s Reception Conditions Directive, for the provision of contingency supports for International Protection (IP) applicants who Ireland is not in a position to accommodate. The EU Reception Conditions Directive outlines the necessary reception conditions for receiving international protection applicants. In line with this Directive, in circumstances where the State temporarily runs out of accommodation, the State can exceptionally offer different reception conditions.
As part of these arrangements the Government has agreed to a temporary increase in the Daily Expense Allowance for International Protection Applicants who are not in receipt of an offer of accommodation. This increase is in line with payments made to international protection applicants by other European Countries in circumstances where applicants are not in state supported accommodation.
International protection applicants who are not provided with accommodation receive a temporary increase of €75 to their Daily Expense Allowance. This increases the allowance from the current rate of €38 per week to €113.80 a week for all eligible applicants. The increased DEA is administered through the Department of Social Protection. All arriving applicants who have not received an offer of accommodation will be provided with an initial voucher of €100 to provide support in advance of receipt of the increased Daily Expense Allowance.
In addition to these payments, a system of triage of adult males is being implemented to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are prioritised for the provision of accommodation. Drop-in day services is provided to all non-accommodated persons who wish to avail of them. In such centres, IP applicants can access facilities including hot showers, meals and laundry services seven days a week. They also provide tents and sleeping bags, where required. Currently this Department has agreements with three charities to provide these services in Dublin.
The Department is in very regular contact with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and outreach services to identify vulnerable international protection applicants who are rough sleeping. These organisations are provided with the Department’s duty phone, which is monitored 24/7, and can be used to refer vulnerable international protection applicants who are then prioritized for accommodation.
Given the cold weather, this system is crucial to the Department’s response and has been working very effectively thus far, resulting in a number of people receiving offers of accommodation. Up to date figures are made publicly available at gov.ie.
