Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

This is just a transfer of a number of functions and also capital in relation to the purchase of accommodation in regard to provision of accommodation for IPAS. I would make an observation in relation to it. As referred to by Deputy Carthy earlier, we had interaction yesterday in the justice committee in regard to value for money in the purchase of properties, which will be seismic but over will create greater value over a number of years, it is believed, given the ongoing volumes of people coming into the country. Will the Minister outline whether there are intentions to purchase similar types of properties, maybe not to the same scale but properties in other locations around the country? I read through the costings the Minister estimated for Citywest, which are seismic, but in comparison to what was going on before, there are savings. However, we also need to match that in relation to where other properties can be procured and ensure fair geographical distribution. I have asked numerous times and received a breakdown by local electoral area of where people are being located. I understand that this cannot be an exact science and that there are various different measures that have to be met. However, there is an imbalance in regard to where we are locating people in communities. I believe in the system and I want it to work, but it has to be fair. I am still not sure it works or is fair. I accept that there have been improvements and I acknowledge and commend the Minister on some of those improvements. Having said that, how do we ensure we have geographical balance, regional balance and community balance in this?

I respect the fact that the Minister cannot give out the weightings table by which decisions are made between when to give a provider a contract and when to buy another property, but it would be good to have some indication of the measurements by which these are made. Transparency is the Minister's ally here. There are serious concerns out there about how so much money has been spent with certain people and companies in certain locations. It cannot continue. I appreciate the fact that, when the Minister's predecessor was in office and during Covid-19, the number of people coming into the country was unprecedented. Checks and balances, the rules and everything else was up for question. The volume of accommodation that was required instantaneously was incredible. There was serious pressure. It was not acceptable as a country that we were left in that position, but the reality is we were. Now, it is different. Now, there is time for change and time to be able to create a form of rules and balances as regards how we spend this money.

I appreciate what is going on in terms of Citywest but I want to see it across the board for many reasons. For social reasons, I want the best for people who are coming into this country and who need and deserve protection. I believe their applications should be processed quickly, particularly where there are children. If they are not processed within a reasonable time, then we do not have an opportunity to remove them. We had that debate yesterday. However, we need to see some form of criteria that all of us in this House can stand over regarding how these decisions are made. If the Minister elaborated more on these observations in his reply, I would appreciate it.

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