Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, to the Chamber. The first Commencement matter is in the name of Senator Garret Ahearn. A Sheanadóir, tá ceithre nóiméad agat.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber this morning. As he is well aware, one of the biggest criticisms we get as Government public representatives when there are announcements of international protection or Ukrainian citizens coming to a town is the lack of communication. That happened only this week in Tipperary when there were rumours circulating over the weekend that there were going to be 80 international protection applicants facilitated in the Dundrum House Hotel. Public representatives from my party and the Minister of State's party tried to get as much information as they could over the last three or four days before a meeting held last night with 200 locals present. Only two hours before that meeting was there a full briefing given to public representatives who were being sent into a room of 200 people who were only looking for clarity and information about what the next steps will be. People do not know them and it is a real problem for us and for local councillors.

We had the same problem only two weeks ago in Clonmel regarding the 82 modular units which are going to be built for Ukrainian families. Again, no information was put out, which meant false information was put out and believed. This ended up in a situation where there was a campsite set up for people protesting, which unfortunately made national headlines due to violence. A man working on the site was injured and had to be hospitalised overnight. That is extreme but that sort of lack of communication causes a lack of trust among the public. If the Minister of State or I have to go to these meetings and tell people we do not have the full details, they do not believe us, and I understand there have been issues in Rosslare with people being frustrated with the communication.

The reason I am raising this today is that everyone in Clonmel is talking about Hearns Hotel possibly being used for international protection applicants. I cannot tell people that I know for sure exactly what is happening and how many people are coming but it will be announced at some point. As happened last night, when councillors for the Cashel-Tipperary town district had to go to a meeting in Dundrum, I will get a briefing an hour or two beforehand and will have to work with that in terms of getting information to people in my community. It is not good enough.

There is a good example where good communication has worked and it is from Borrisokane in my county. When the Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy David Stanton, was Minister of State in the Department of Justice, he brought 14 international protection applicant families to the town. They have been there for five years now and the community is so happy with them that it is trying to have a march to protect them because there is a complication with them possibly moving out of their houses. The local people want to keep them there.

My question relates to Hearns Hotel. Has there been communication between the Department, the owners of Hearns Hotel and Tipperary County Council? How long has that been going on? When will international protection applicants be accommodated in Hearns Hotel and how many international protection applicants will this involve? What supports will be provided for them? As anyone from Clonmel will tell you, you cannot get a GP. If you go into a GP in Clonmel, they will tell you there are no vacancies. They cannot take you on. The accident and emergency department in the hospital is under huge pressure. Has contact been made with the local schools in the area? If people are coming, children will be among them. Will there be accommodation for those children come September?

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Glaoim ar an tAire anois agus tá ceithre nóiméad aige.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Ahearn for raising the very important issue of Hearns Hotel in Clonmel being used as a facility for international protection applicants. I am responding on behalf of Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, who sends his apologies for not being here this morning.

Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase in people seeking international protection. The arrival numbers remain significantly elevated and in the first 21 weeks of 2024, over 8,300 people have arrived in Ireland seeking accommodation from the State, averaging 398 people per week. This is more than five times the average from 2017-2019 and the highest weekly applications in 2024 consisted of over 610 applicants.

As of 19 May, there are over 30,000 people accommodated in international protection accommodation services, otherwise known as the IPAS system. Over 7,494 of this group as a whole are children, compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. IPAS provides support to people through non-governmental organisations to assist them in moving on from IPAS accommodation. Progress in this area continues to be challenging despite nearly 1,700 people transitioning to more permanent accommodation in the community since the beginning of 2024.

As of 19 May, there are 750 IP applicants in County Tipperary. The International Protection Procurement Service, IPPS, is responding to an offer of accommodation made in respect of Hearns Hotel. A full assessment of the property is under way at present. If a contract is signed with the provider, the property will subsequently be brought into use.If a contract is signed with a provider, the property would subsequently be brought into use. If a contract is agreed and the property is to come into use, the community engagement team will provide a briefing document about the accommodation to elected representatives. The CET has been established to engage directly with elected representatives, relevant local authorities, local development companies and other entities and individuals. The purpose of the team is to improve the flow of information regarding arrivals into areas and to help equip local communities with the accurate information required to help them understand the current situation. The team does not have a role in the procurement of premises or the allocation of new arrivals.

The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in Ireland and is considering all offers of accommodation. The Department is currently availing of repurposed office buildings, decommissioned Defence Forces barracks and tents to try to address shortfalls in reception capacity. Since January 2022, the Department has brought more than 200 properties into use to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection. The Government is making every effort to accommodate asylum seekers against a backdrop of unprecedented demand. However, the situation remains challenging and the Department cannot provide accommodation to all applicants.

The EU reception conditions directive outlines the necessary reception conditions for receiving IP applicants. In line with this directive, in circumstances where the State temporarily runs out of accommodation, the State can exceptionally offer different reception conditions. It does this in the form of a €75 per week increased expense allowance, bringing the total allowance to €113.80 to those to whom the State cannot offer accommodation.

The Government remains committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in Ireland and is considering all offers of accommodation, in line with the comprehensive accommodation strategy approved by Government on 27 March this year. This revised strategy followed a review of the implementation approach for the White Paper due to an exponential growth in applications for international protection, with in excess of 30,000 new arrivals since January 2022, whereas the White Paper was originally based on 3,500 new arrivals each year. The review included inputs from the White Paper programme board and the external advisory group.

The Government-approved comprehensive accommodation strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State will always be able to meet its international commitments. The reforms will see a move away from full reliance on private providers and towards a core of State-owned accommodation, delivering 14,000 State-owned beds by 2028, quadruple the previous commitment under the White Paper. At the moment, no agreement has been reached but I do not have the specific details on the accommodation the Senator asked for. I will ask the Minister to provide that.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Of all of what he read out, only two paragraphs answered some of the questions I asked. I appreciate it is not his Department. He mentioned if the contract is agreed and that they are working with the provider. The provider said a few months ago that he would not use it for international protection and then he was found out. The new owners were found out to be misleading. Everyone in the town knows this is happening. Everyone in the town can see workers going in, changing windows, putting in carpets and putting in curtains. That is all happening because of engagement with the Department as to what needs to be changed.

I asked how many people would be staying there. Everyone knows there are 26 rooms. In other places around the country, it is four per room because they are families. That means we should know and should be able to tell the public that 100 people will be coming into that hotel. The real problem we have is that the impact of this is huge. It is on Parnell Street, the main street. It is the only hotel in the town centre of Clonmel. We have had this before with Roscrea. Removing the only hotel has a huge impact. It is closing a late bar and nightclub, O'Keeffe's, which is right beside it and which has to be closed because families are being put in there. It has an impact on every single business on Parnell Street. It is the busiest street from the point of view of hospitality, restaurants and pubs. The people of Clonmel are greatly concerned that there is no communication.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is well over time.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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This proves that when I ask questions-----

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is abusing the privilege on Commencement Matters.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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-----and I know the answers myself, the Department and the communication team do not deliver those answers.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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All I can confirm, based on the information provided to me by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is that the international protection procurement service is responding to an offer made to it of accommodation in respect of the property and the Department is assessing the property as to whether the accommodation is suitable and whether a contract should be agreed. However, I do not have any more specifics than that. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, if he can provide further specifics on it. At the moment it is at the discussion stage.