David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have the figures for the Chairman so I can give them to him now. As of 2 December 2018, there were 184 people seeking international protection in emergency accommodation beds. The intention is that these beds will be used for a short period, perhaps one or two nights, before we can relocate them and offer them accommodation in one of the other permanent centres. Rather than having people on the street when all the other centres are full, we guarantee that they will not be without accommodation and food.

In respect of location, going back to what the Chairman mentioned about community consultation, RIA does not ear mark or pick a hotel or centre. RIA and the Department put out a call for expressions of interest. These can come from anywhere. When that happens, the staff inspect the facility to ensure it is up to standard. If the Chairman had an accommodation centre somewhere, was interested in making it available and contacted the Department, the suggestion is that at that stage, the Department should tell everybody else that this particular businessperson had contacted the Department to make the premises available. The Department then inspects the premises. Sometimes it may not be suitable and the owner will be told this and that the Department will not take it on. Alternatively, it may be deemed to have all the features required and to be up to standard.

The question then is whether the community should be involved at that stage. The businessperson or owner of the facility will then work out a contract and terms. Sometimes they will come to an agreement and sometimes they will not. If they come to an agreement, shake hands and say they can do business on these terms, that is when it is made public. I would contend that prior to that, no agreement might be reached. I cannot see how we could involve the public in consultation until we know that we are going to make an agreement. The minute that agreement is made, people are involved. The experience around the country is that the local people are concerned and have questions and we do our best to answer and address them. The experience in all the 37 accommodation centres that are up and running is good.

Under the McMahon report, it was recommended that "friends of the centre" be established. This was done immediately and funded and supported by the Department and RIA. We find that when local people get to know and work with the people in the accommodation centres, the support is overwhelming. The consultation should be done at the earliest time, which is when the agreement is reached or on the verge of being reached with the owner. Prior to that, the owner or Department could easily walk away and say they will not do business. It would not be fair on any owner of a property or the community to say we are having a discussion at an early stage before we make an agreement. It is tricky. We have had these discussions previously and I am sure the Chairman will understand how difficult it is. If the owner of a property contacts the Department, is that when we should say that we have been contacted by "X" who wants to talk to us? There are also commercial and privacy considerations for people. As I said, on 2 December 2018, there were 184 people seeking international protection in emergency accommodation beds.

At the same time, there were 5,607 in contracted capacity.