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

I thank the Deputy and the other local TDs for their ongoing engagement on this matter. Ireland is now accommodating more than 100,000 people, between those fleeing the war in Ukraine and international protection applicants. Our accommodation system is under real pressure now. With all the limited accommodation capacity in the International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, system being used and given the significantly increased number of arrivals in the context of accommodation shortages, my Department has no option but to use all offers of accommodation made to it to address this accommodation shortfall. This has of course necessitated opening accommodation across the country

In recent weeks, we have seen particular pressure on the availability of family accommodation. This has required us to maximise the number of available beds for families. The alternative is that we will see families and female applicants being left homeless. That is the position I am left in.

My Department contacted the Deputy and other local TDs on 14 February to inform them that we were planning to use this accommodation. Subsequently, the community engagement team issued a briefing to TDs, Senators and councillors. They met Louth County Council officials and the community response forum. I have met the Deputy and other TDs, the county councillors representing Drogheda, urban and rural, and the local chamber of commerce.

With respect to the fire certificate, the Department seeks evidence of compliance with fire safety standards when appraising all offers of accommodation. The production of this evidence is mandatory and the local authority holds the remit for assessing compliance with fire safety and for enforcing the regulations around same. Where there is notification to the Department of possible non-compliance, we immediately engage with the contractor of the property, whose responsibility it is to ensure their premises meets the required standards. They engage directly with the local authority on the issue and the Department requests evidence that the matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of the local authority.

With respect to the D Hotel specifically, following an offer of this property to the Department, the standard appraisal of the offer was undertaken. A part of that was the provision of evidence of compliance with fire safety. That evidence was duly produced. The provider's fire safety compliance expert has confirmed that the building's fire certificate is fully compliant for the use of the hotel bedrooms. I understand that the provider is engaging with the fire officer on the matter, as the Deputy stated.

With respect to the suggestion that the D Hotel would be used for international protection applicants and paying guests, that proposal is still under consideration. No decision has been made. My officials have engaged with the hotel regarding an understanding of the layout and the particular concern around child safety in terms of the use of shared entrances, exits, lifts and stairs and that is ongoing. It is a challenge but the engagement is ongoing.

The Deputy knows and I acknowledge the frustration about the need to use this hotel. I recognise that the people of Drogheda have welcomed many international protection applicants and many Ukrainians over the past two years, and in some cases, long before that as well. I acknowledge that the most of the anger about this is to do with the removal of tourist beds. I understand it. All I can say is that I am left in the invidious position of securing accommodation or seeing people being left homeless. I understand this is something that no one in this House, or indeed anywhere else, wants either.

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