Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

198. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers in State centres for the past five years; the cost of housing for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7410/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The direct provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department. For the most part, this represents a cashless system with the State assuming responsibility for providing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers on a full board basis. Currently, there are 4,355 residents in 34 centres across the State under contract to RIA.

The numbers of asylum seekers residing in direct provision has reduced significantly over the last five years. At the end of December 2013 there were 4,360 residents in direct provision compared with 6,424 at the end of December 2009. This represents a reduction of 2,064, or 32%, in the number of residents in direct provision in that period. There was also a corresponding reduction in the cost of providing accommodation in the direct provision system. The budget outturn for 2009 was €86.5 million compared to €55.2 million in 2013. That represents a drop of €31.3 million, or 36%, in the cost of providing direct provision accommodation over that period.

The table below sets out the total number of residents in direct provision at the end of December from 2009 to 2013 and the corresponding budget outturn for those years.

More detailed statistics are available on the RIA website - www.ria.gov.ie.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

199. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of outsourcing carried out by the State for asylum seekers for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7411/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I presume that the Deputy is referring to the outsourcing of work to external service providers which is ordinarily undertaken by civil servants. Since 2009 there have been two occasions where work has been outsourced in the asylum area, the details of which are below:

- Establishment of a Presenting Panel of legally qualified persons in 2009 to represent the Refugee Applications Commissioner in some 1200 cases at appeals hearings before the Refugee Appeals Tribunal;

- Establishment of a panel of legally qualified persons in 2013 to assist the Refugee Applications Commissioner with the processing of subsidiary protection applications.