John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has plans to revisit his plans to close a number of the direct provision centres for asylum seekers in view of the fact that the disruption this will have on the lives of those living in them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47652/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) is an operational unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department and is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their applications for protection are being processed. On 28 October 2012, RIA was providing accommodation for 4,917 persons in 36 centres located in 17 counties.

The Value for Money Report and Policy Review - Asylum Seeker Accommodation Programme, published in 2010 - which was laid before the Oireachtas and is available on the Oireachtas website and RIA's website www.ria.gov.ie - indicated that the RIA should strive to keep its occupancy levels at 90% or more of its available capacity. The Report accepted that it is not possible for RIA to achieve 100% occupancy - due to family configuration, sickness requiring isolation, and so on.

Given the current downward trend in the number of asylum seekers requiring accommodation, when a contract comes up for renewal a decision has to be made to seek to reduce its capacity, including adjusting capacity across a group of related centres, or to close it. RIA makes every effort to keep family centres open, preferring instead to reduce contracted capacities. In some cases, because of economies of scale, a reduction in capacity is not an option and a centre has to close. This was the case with Lisbrook House in Galway which is in the process of being closed down. Another three centres have already closed down in 2012. All of these closures, coupled with capacity reductions in 11 other centres, will provide a total reduction of 618 beds from the portfolio. These reductions will enable RIA, based on current occupancy levels, to stay within the 10% spare capacity target recommended by the VFM report and will provide commensurate financial savings for the State both this year and in 2013. RIA has no plans for further closures in 2012.

RIA acknowledges that the closure of a centre can be disruptive for the residents concerned, particularly in the case of family centres. The situation in 2013 will require constant monitoring to ensure that no more accommodation than is needed is being paid for. If centres have to be either downsized or closed altogether I am informed by RIA that every attempt will be made to minimise disruption as far as practicable.