Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has continued to work as part of the whole-of-government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing conflict who request it. The Department of the Taoiseach co-ordinates the whole-of-government response to Ukraine and other Departments and agencies are also involved in this response, and the integration of the beneficiaries of temporary protection and international protection applicants.

I am in the position where I can see this directly in the three Departments in which I serve. The cross-government response has been supported by the community response forum in a local authority-led programme providing assistance to those seeking protection. The forum includes representatives from NGOs, volunteers, the HSE and others at community level across the country who are contributing to the welcoming and integration of Ukrainians and international protection applicants. I want to pay particular tribute to the role that local development companies have been playing in assisting communities to understand what is happening with new arrivals and to help communities welcome new arrivals, especially in difficult circumstances. They have been key partners to our community engagement team.

Ireland is currently accommodating more than 101,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and international protection applicants. This includes almost 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 26,000 IP applicants currently in IPAS accommodation. Much of this accommodation is made up of unused rooms in family homes, previously unused buildings or refurbished buildings that have not been in use for some time. This is a good thing and brings life, activity, families and workers to a place that often did not have any.

Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase in the number of people seeking international protection. Over the period from 2017 to 2019, an average of 3,500 people applied for international protection each year. In 2022, more than 13,600 people sought international protection with a similar number last year.

The other key part of the context is the fact that we across Europe are also dealing with the consequences of the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War, which has brought an additional 100,000 people to our shores from Ukraine. Departmental officials are working to bring more bed spaces into use for those seeking protection.

For context, at the end of January 2022 IPAS had 8,300 bed spaces in use; it now has approximately 26,000 beds in use. This is an achievement in itself. Since January 2022 my Department has brought over 200 properties into use to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection. This has required incredible work and resources. With all new properties offered to the Department for those seeking refuge, the provider is required to provide detailed information, including a certificate of compliance by a competent expert in relation to adherence to relevant regulations and suitability of use. The Department carefully appraises each property before contracts are issued. Properties are always subject to pre-occupancy inspections.

Over the past two years, communities across Ireland have demonstrated great solidarity and welcome for those who come here seeking refuge. This is demonstrated not only in the response to Ukrainian arrivals but also in the fact we have successfully opened 200 new properties across the country for international protection applicants. The Government is aware of public interest and questions regarding the arrival of those seeking international protection and has set up a community engagement team to engage directly with elected representatives, relevant local authorities, local development companies and other entities and individuals, where relevant and appropriate. The purpose of the team is to improve the flow of information regarding arrivals into areas and help equip local communities with pertinent information to help with the welcome and integration process. Given the scale and urgency of the operation to source accommodation for new arrivals, manage and process them appropriately, and transfer and settle them into their homes and communities, there has been a requirement to act at pace, with developments often happening at short notice. Between September and December 2023, the engagement team issued 39 briefings to stakeholders; within this, it has actively engaged on 24 projects, which involved meetings with public representatives, community groups and residents. The team is also engaged with other stakeholders outside of the immediate openings of centres to build relationships and networks with key groups. This includes meeting with community response forums, local development companies and other NGOs. The effectiveness of the community engagement team partly depends on the co-operation and support of elected representatives at local and national level. I thank all public representatives of all parties and none who have assisted in getting factual information to communities and in challenging false information and assumptions. This will be an ongoing battle and we will continue to need their co-operation.

As Minister of State with responsibility for community development, I want communities to grow cohesively. My Department of Rural and Community Development has been especially cognisant of the needs of communities that have accommodated significant numbers seeking protection in the past two years. This is why over the past two budgets, the SICAP programme, which funds community workers, has received an additional €10 million each year. These allocations are specifically proportionate to the number of new people seeking protection in that area. We have also provided additional allocations to volunteer centres to support the amazing work they continue to do and the €50 million community recognition fund has been allocated to local authorities based on the number of new arrivals they have accommodated.

Community integration work is also supported by my Department of children and integration via the community integration fund, the new international protection integration fund and the larger funds I will announce later this year, namely, the national integration fund and the asylum migration integration fund. My Department of Social Protection since last year has seen Ukrainians join our community employment and Tús schemes in increasing numbers, with approximately 400 Ukrainian participants between both schemes at the moment. There is significant support to assist and integrate people and to assist communities with the integration process. My Department of Rural and Community Development is looking at additional ways to augment this.

I make a request of people who might not be happy about a new property opening in their locality for those seeking protection. If you decide to publicly express dissatisfaction about the opening of such accommodation in your locality, do it in a way that does not intimidate vulnerable people, make people feel unwelcome or attract people with criminal intent who are actively looking to intimidate and threaten. There is a way to express an opinion without damaging your own community. In my view, it is never outside the home or potential home of vulnerable people.

It is important to remember we have a significant number of people seeking protection that we have not been able to accommodate. The Department is not able to provide accommodation for all single male international protection applicants currently, but priority is being given to those in this group with identified vulnerabilities. A temporary increase has been applied to the expense allowance for applicants not in receipt of an offer of accommodation. In addition to these payments, a system of triage of adult males is being implemented to ensure the most vulnerable are prioritised for the provision of accommodation. Drop-in day services are 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 per week. Currently, this Department has agreements with three charities to provide these services in Dublin. The Department is also in regular contact with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, the Dublin Simon Community, Streetlink homeless support outreach service and others on this issue, particularly with regard to identifying especially vulnerable people. These organisations are provided with the Department’s duty phone number, which is monitored 24-7 and which they can use to identity said individuals, and prioritisation for accommodation is given to the most vulnerable. The welfare of these men is foremost in my mind and I am continuing, as is the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, to pursue all possibilities to find shelter for these vulnerable men. I ask everyone to consider their welfare as we move forward and try to find shelter for them.

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