Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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299. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the suitability of Mount Trenchard, County Limerick, as an asylum seeker accommodation centre; the reasons for the discontinued use of Mount Trenchard as an accommodation centre in 2006 and its subsequent resumption of services in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37014/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. Currently, 4,326 persons are residing in 34 asylum accommodation centres under contract to RIA.

Mount Trenchard accommodation centre in Foynes, Co. Limerick first opened in March 2005 with a capacity for 100 persons. This was in response to a rapid rise in the number of persons requiring accommodation. At that time, there were over 8,000 persons residing in RIA accommodation. Within a number of months, that number declined to just over 4,800. This decline was mostly attributable to the revised arrangements applicable to the non-EEA national parents of Irish born children born in the State before 1 January, 2005 - more commonly known as the IBC/05 Scheme. RIA is a demand led organisation and must match as closely as possible its capacity requirements in line with the ebb and flow of those requiring accommodation. The fall in numbers being accommodated meant a concomitant closure of a number of accommodation centres, of which Mount Trenchard was one.

When the numbers of persons requiring accommodation began to increase again in mid to late 2006, it was necessary for RIA to increase its accommodation capacity. Mount Trenchard was one of five centres that opened in early 2007 to accommodate this increase and it now has a capacity for 55 persons. I am advised by RIA that the continued operation of Mount Trenchard is, along with every other centre, kept constantly under review.