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

As of 30 January, there were 8,582 people accommodated in the direct provision system as a whole. This includes 5,828 persons in international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centres, 1,065 in emergency accommodation centres, 396 in the national reception centre in Balseskin, 323 in quarantine facilities and 970 in pre-reception facilities. Within direct provision centres and the national reception centre, 74% of residents have access to independent living facilities. Residents can cook and shop for themselves, families have access to private living spaces and social spaces, and 31% have access to own-door unit settings, which means they live in self-contained units such as apartments with private kitchens and living spaces.

Recently, my Department published a request for tender seeking accommodation for the transitional period up to 2024. The accommodation being sought includes own-door accommodation for families in the international protection process.

The White Paper on Ending Direct Provision has established a blueprint for a new system of supporting and accommodating people seeking international protection in Ireland, centred on a not-for-profit approach and grounded in the principles of human rights, respect for diversity and respect for privacy and family life. This system will come into operation fully by the end of December 2024. We have set up a White Paper transition team within my Department. It drives implementation of the new model. We have a programme board that brings in expertise from other Departments as well as the private sector. We also have an external advisory committee comprising Dr. Catherine Day, Dr. Lorcan Sirr and Dr. David Donoghue. I will actually be meeting them today after these questions.

We have been working closely with a number of other Departments and agencies, in particular the Housing Agency in terms of the provision of new accommodation. Planning is well advanced for the purchasing of properties, developing a system of income support for international protection applicants and integration support. The planning and design of capital projects will commence this year.

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