Seanad debates
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
International Protection
1:00 pm
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming to the House. Céad míle fáilte.
Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing this Commencement matter and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for taking the time to come to the Chamber for this important Commencement matter.
I wish to begin by acknowledging the unprecedented challenges the Department has faced in recent times in respect of housing and supporting asylum seekers and beneficiaries of temporary protection. I am disappointed that neither the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, nor the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, was available to take this matter this morning. I have written to the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman.I have not received anything back from him yet bar an acknowledgement on the particular issue that I am about to raise.
I am aware of the challenges around trying to source suitable accommodation for those entering our State. It is definitely a difficult situation. However, I believe residences within housing states should be off limits when it comes to suitable offerings. I am speaking in particular about an agreement that was recently entered into with a house owner in Pairc Mhuire in Newbridge. This residence will house 12 occupants.
The issue is not about the people who will be accommodated there. We all need a roof over our heads. Indeed, Newbridge is a very welcoming town and has already shown a strong welcome to those who have come to our town looking for accommodation and our support. However, I feel that this sets a precedent in terms of taking a house within an estate. Every one of us is very conscious of how difficult the housing market is at the moment. Even though more than 8,000 houses were built in Kildare over the last four years, there is still a lot of pressure on the housing market. On Daft.ie there are currently only seven houses for rent in Newbridge. It is difficult for working people with families to rent a place. We have a situation where an arm of the State is paying 20 times the going rate that I, my neighbour, my friend or my family member would pay if we are to believe the figures and I am desperately trying to get the accurate figures, which I have not received yet.
This is a huge problem. We already had a situation where Kildare County Council tried to buy existing buildings for the community and has been priced out of the market in terms of private buyers who have bought for the purpose of housing international protection applicants. I know that new policies have been put in place but it will take a while for them to come in. As I said, the reality is that there is no way that an ordinary working person or family can compete with the rent that IPAS pays. There is a real concern that these working people and working families will be totally excluded from the property market.
There is also a real fear that other house owners will go down this path in terms of being able to make a lot of money. Many of us are concerned. We need an assurance that IPAS will not aim to make custom and practice in renting from the private market in residential estates. I want reassurance on that.
Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this very important issue in respect of Newbridge. No doubt this is an issue in many areas throughout the country. The Department of integration, and I am speaking on behalf of the Minister, currently relies on the private commercial market, not the private residential rental market, to supply accommodation to house international protection applicants. The key issue is the private commercial market versus the private residential rental market. That is the issue this hinges on. If I do not clarify it fully we will have to ask the Minister to clarify the precise definition on that.
Ireland continues to experience a sustained and unprecedented increase in people seeking international protection. In keeping with its legal obligations the Government is committed to supporting all of those seeking refuge in Ireland and is considering all offers of accommodation. The vast majority of accommodation for international protection applicants is currently commercially provided. This is in response to the monumental and unprecedented demand experienced since 2022.
On 18 January 2022 the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth published a request for tenders to procure additional accommodation for singles, couples and families seeking international protection. Unfortunately, the request for tender process did not deliver sufficient capacity to meet the demand for accommodation.Emergency accommodation has been privately contracted in order to prevent homelessness. As a result, the Department needs to maintain existing accommodation and secure further emergency accommodation insofar as it can.
In light of the increased arrivals of families and couples in tandem with delays in opening some of the new properties, there is an imminent possibility of a shortage of family accommodation. Procurement policy therefore remains focused on securing beds as quickly as possible. Since December of last year, the State has not been able to provide accommodation for all international protection applicants. Right now, more than 1,780 male applicants are left unaccommodated. An accommodation crisis of this scale requires a response of a similar size.
In addition to maintaining a supply for the immediate crisis in accommodation for IP applicants, the need exists to provide for a sustainable and long-term response. In this context, on 27 March, the Government approved a new comprehensive accommodation strategy. This strategy aims to provide a stable supply of State-owned accommodation, and a multi-strand commercial accommodation stock which may flex as required to meet fluctuations in arrival rates and periods of stay of applicants within the system. This strategy will incur significant savings over current expenditure allocated to commercial providers and provide for a greater degree of control over the location of residences while also maintaining a humane, sustainable, efficient and lawful system for accommodation applicants.
The underlying rationale for the new strategy is predicated on 13,000 to 16,000 new arrivals per year; moving away from full reliance on private providers towards State-owned accommodation; delivering 14,000 State-owned spaces by 2028; and supplementing supply by commercial providers to national standards. Accommodation in the new strategy will be delivered through the following approaches: use of State land for prefabricated and modular units; conversion of commercial buildings; targeted purchase of medium and larger turnkey properties; design and build of new reception and integration centres; and upgrading the IPAS centres that we currently have. They are the key issues. The figures that I have quoted in relation to the expected arrivals are the best estimate we have at this time. Someone else may have a different estimate, but that is the best estimate the Government has as we speak.
Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I agree that we need to have a humane approach. None of us wishes to see people sleeping on the street. I thank the Minister of State for clarifying and saying that the private commercial market, and not the private residential market, is used to house those who are coming to our land looking for accommodation. I take it from what the Minister of State has said that the contract that was signed for two years for this house in Pairc Mhuire is null and void because that most certainly is private residential. He clearly said in the response that was given to him by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth of Ireland, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman's officials that State land, commercial build, design and build and IPAS centres will be used but not residential. While I have not had a response yet from the Minister's Department, if that is the case, it is very clear that this contract is null and void and that no residential property will be used.
Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I can give the Senator one bit of advice of further information about how many the system is designed for. What I can say is a similar situation arose in my constituency recently. Certain local people went to the local authority to find out the planning status of the house that was in question. It was a private house that had been done up and it was put up. Planning permission is required to do that because it is a change of use and second, these areas must have fire certificates for that purpose. On the basis of both of those, Laois County Council deemed that the particular house, which was a fine, old house that had been renovated, was not eligible under this scheme on the basis of fire regulations and planning. That is a suggestion, but I cannot comment on whether the contract is null and void. What I can say is the local authority has to be in a position to verify the suitability of that house from a planning and fire safety point of view if it is being used for a commercial purpose, which this transaction clearly is.