The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department, is responsible for the accommodation of persons while their applications for international protection are being processed. Currently there are 4,819 persons accommodated throughout the State in 35 centres under contract to RIA.
The amounts paid to contractors for accommodation and ancillary services for asylum seekers over the past 5 years are as follows:
Year
|
Amount
|
2008
|
€91.47m
|
2009
|
€86.50m
|
2010
|
€79.07m
|
2011
|
€69.45m
|
2012
|
€62.3m
|
The Deputy may also wish to note that published on RIA's website – www.ria.gov.ie - are its Annual Reports for the years 2007 to 2011 inclusive. These reports include details of spending for those years, showing total payments for contracts in respect of State owned, commercial and self catering centres; for transport costs; for utility costs in State owned centres; and for miscellaneous payments. The 2012 report is being compiled and will be published as soon as possible.