Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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139. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the amounts paid to companies or persons running direct provision centres each year since the system was introduced in 1999, with a breakdown of the figures to identify the recipient; the direct provision centre, and the amount they received in each year. [39139/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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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 4,323 residents in 34 centres across the State under contract to RIA.

Below is a list showing RIA's expenditure outturn for each of the years 2005 to 2013 inclusive:

2013 - €55.228 million

2012 - €62.329 million

2011 - €69.459 million

2010 - €79.073 million

2009 - €86.509 million

2008 - €91.472 million

2007 - €83.262 million

2006 - €78.728 million

2005 - €84.382 million

RIA's annual reports further break down yearly expenditure into the broad headings of 'Commercial', 'State-owned', 'Self-catering', 'Additional Costs', 'Transport' and 'Miscellaneous'. These Annual Reports for the period 2007 to 2013 inclusive are published on www.ria.gov.ie

I will forward a more detailed table showing expenditure details on all RIA contracts for accommodation for the period 2000 to the end of 2011 to the Deputy under separate cover. I should also say in order to give the fullest picture as possible, an independent value for money review (VFM) of the direct provision system in 2010 concluded that any alternative system (which would require payment of rent allowances, welfare and related payments, etc.) would cost the State twice the amount of the direct provision system. Moreover, this cost would not have included the potential additional expenditure that would arise from the strong likelihood of the significant pull factor that would emerge from a cash-based system.