Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
564. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of transfers between different IPAS accommodation centres for each month to date in 2022, in tabular form. [51486/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra574. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown of the average transfer notice period provided, by month, to those in IPAS accommodation to date in 2022, broken down by the status of the those receiving notices, for example TPD, leave to remain, current applicants for protection and so on in tabular form. [51898/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 574 together.
Deputy, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not collate the number of transfers in the manner requested.
Transfers between different International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres take place for a wide variety of reasons. For example, there are weekly transfers from the National Reception Centre (NRC) - where new arrivals are orientated when they arrive in the country.
In addition, individuals and families request transfers for a variety of reasons and IPAS facilitates those requests as appropriate and where possible. These transfers are more difficult in the current context of extremely limited available accommodation.
Currently, newly arrived international protection applicants are allocated to Citywest transit hub and once new accommodation is available, they will be transferred.
In the context of the current crisis, some of the emergency accommodation that comes on-stream is very short-term in nature and necessitates transferring people to alternative accommodation when it's use for IPAS expires. In the same manner, when accommodation comes on-stream, IPAS will arrange transfers for international protection applicants to that accommodation.
The accommodation situation is currently very fluid and necessitates international protection applicants be moved, on occasion, to a number of different locations. IPAS works to minimise this as they understand the disruption this causes to international protection applicants. However, unfortunately, it has been necessary on some occasions.
I trust this information clarifies the matter, Deputy.
