Emergency Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022

Thursday, 8 September 2022

Ceisteanna (1278)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

1278. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that the National Indoor Athletics Training Centre at Abbotstown was selected to be used for emergency refugee accommodation; if consideration was given to the disruption that this decision would cause to clubs that depend on access to the facilities; if he had engagement with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media prior to this decision being taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44084/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Since 1 January over 9,497 international protection (IP) applicants have arrived in Ireland. In the past 12 months this figure rises to just short of 12,000. The average arrival figure for IP applicants for the previous 10 years was 3,500.

The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) procures accommodation for international protection applicants. Since 24 February IPPS has worked to facilitate the accommodation solution for both IP applicants and circa 36,000 Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTP), unprecedented volumes of persons seeking refuge in Ireland.

The pressure to accommodate almost 46,000 people since the start of the year has led to significant accommodation shortages particularly for the international protection cohort. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth is working constantly to identify and source longer term accommodation for international protection applicants.  In order to meet the immediate and short term accommodation needs of this large increase in arrivals, varied accommodation options all around the country has been utilised to help house applicants on an emergency basis. 

Emergency centres have been opened in various parts of the country. There have been a total of 30 accommodation locations utilised since January 2022 across 13 counties.

The Department has engaged with numerous sectors to elicit offers of accommodation for both Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) and International Protection (IP) applicants over the last number of months.  This includes a call through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to sporting organisations to use their facilities.

The National Indoor Arena was offered as part of that process and has recently come into use for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide emergency accommodation for a 6 week period. 

The Department is closely engaged with the provider and measures have been implemented in order to minimise disruption to users of the arena.