Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Where a person or a family are in temporary emergency accommodation, the International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, endeavours to move them to more suitable permanent accommodation in the shortest time possible, notwithstanding pressures on the IPAS accommodation portfolio. It is IPAS's policy to prioritise the movement of family units from emergency accommodation when suitable accommodation appropriate to their needs becomes available. In addition, IPAS is working towards all families being in some form of own-door accommodation which will meet their needs more appropriately than congregated accommodation.

Residents are generally provided with at least ten days of notice before being moved to new accommodation. The letter of transfer is issued in English. However, where a person makes a request for this letter in another language, this can be arranged. A confidential freephone telephone support service funded by my Department, but operated by the Jesuit refugee service, may also assist residents in this regard. I will consider whether further measures are needed to translate this information into languages other than English.

While it is appreciated that a move to a new home is difficult for anyone, particularly where a family may have started to establish connections within a community, most moves occur as part of a wider programme aimed at ending the use of temporary accommodation as recommended by the advisory group on the provision of support, including accommodation, to persons in the international protection process. While it would be preferable to give a longer lead-in time prior to a move, the limited availability of accommodation and the need to make space available to new arrivals mean that moves to more suitable accommodation must be done quickly.

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