Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for his questions. He raised two issues. The first was the difficult situation that arises when people have been granted status to remain in Ireland, but remain living in international protection accommodation centres. That has to be dealt with sensitively, but it is not feasible for us to create a situation where people are allowed to stay there. The Department is not in the business of providing accommodation on a landlord-tenant basis. The good news is that already this year we have moved on 2,000 people who were granted status and have moved out of IPAS centres. For the IPAS accommodation process to operate efficiently, we need to have a system that people go through. People arrive, claim international protection, they are accommodated during the process and once they get status, they move elsewhere. If we find ourselves in a situation where people are permanently staying in international protection accommodation although they already have international protection, the system will become untenable and I will be doing what Deputy Guirke and everyone else on this committee do not want. I will be going around the country looking for hotels in which to accommodate people.

At present, approximately 5,000 people who have status are in IPAS accommodation. My officials are engaging with them and encouraging them to move on. It is important to get the message out that they have to move on. We will do it sensitively. Issues may arise where time is required, but they have to be moved on. Otherwise we will get into the business of providing accommodation to people who have the same social welfare entitlements and entitlement to social housing as anyone else in the country. The difficulties that could arise can be seen.

The Deputy mentioned a woman who contacts him. I am surprised by the story. An individual who is granted asylum is not entitled to get a passport. It may be the case that the woman the Deputy is talking to is aware of someone who applied for citizenship, was granted it and got an Irish passport. If people have an Irish passport, they are entitled to travel wherever they want.