Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1163: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals to close the publicly owned asylum accommodation units at Ballymullen Barracks, Atlas House and Johnston Marina, Tralee while retaining those which are currently in private ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1737/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, is charged with providing accommodation under the Government policy of direct provision for asylum seekers. Decisions regarding the opening, reclassification or closing of centres are made in the context of the overall demand for accommodation and the need to achieve value for money in the context of managing a very large property portfolio.

Such management requires responses both to the changing numbers of persons seeking asylum and to the numbers of asylum seekers requiring accommodation from the RIA. A considerable number of asylum seekers have left RIA accommodation having been granted leave to remain in the State on the basis of having an Irish-born child. This exodus from RIA accommodation allied to the reduced number of persons seeking asylum requires RIA to engage in a major review of its accommodation needs. It is incumbent on the RIA to optimise overall service provision, make the best use of its accommodation resources and provide accommodation in a sensitive, balanced and proportionate way.

In 2005, the RIA closed a number of centres. However, a more detailed examination of the accommodation needs is now required. To that end, the RIA is currently engaged in a major review of all accommodation centres throughout the State, including State-owned centres, in order to ascertain the most appropriate level of accommodation required by the RIA in the short to medium-term future.

At this time, the RIA has made no decision on the future of the named, State-owned centres in Tralee and any such decision will be made in the context of an overall assessment of the accommodation needs of asylum seekers.