Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was moved to Cork; if he will facilitate their return to County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35017/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice and Equality is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision.

RIA no longer operates an accommodation centre in County Wexford and therefore cannot facilitate the return of the person cited in this question to that county. e person had been accommodated in the Old Rectory asylum accommodation centre, New Ross, County Wexford, which was under contract to RIA to provide direct provision accommodation services to asylum seekers from 19 February, 2001 to its closure on 25 October, 2011. Residents of the centre were relocated to alternative accommodation centres, including in Cork city.

This closure has taken place in the context of the reducing numbers of new applications for asylum over the last number of years. In line with this, the number of asylum seekers availing of direct provision accommodation has also decreased. e RIA is required to manage its accommodation portfolio to reflect this change in demand and accordingly has reduced contracted capacity through accommodation centre closures as follows: in 2008, five centres were closed; in 2009, six centres were closed; in 2010, eight centres were closed; and, to date in 2011, seven centres have been closed, including the Old Rectory centre.