Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The direct provision allowance is a non-statutory payment administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality to persons in the Direct Provision system. The Government has provided €3.6 million for direct provision allowance in 2016.

The Government has recently approved an increase in the weekly direct provision allowance payment in respect of children from €9.60 to €15.60 from January 2016. The full-year cost in 2016 of this increase is approximately €345,000.

There are approximately 3,000 adults and 1,100 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom the direct provision allowance is being paid. The full-year cost in 2016, based on the current numbers, of increasing the weekly adult rate from €19.10 to €23.00, €24.00, €25.00, €27.00, €28.00, €30.00, €32.00, €34.00, €36.00, and €38.74; and of increasing the weekly child rate from to €12.00, €14.00, €15.00, €16.00, €18.00, €20.00, €22.00, €24.00, €26.00, €28.00 and €29.80; is provided in the attached tabular statement. The numbers of persons seeking asylum in Ireland is increasing which would increase the costs as set out.

The Report of the Working Group on the Protection Process recommended an increase in the rate of the direct provision allowance payment for both adults and children which will be considered by the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform in due course.

Adult Rate and full-year cost of rate increase.

Child Rate and full-year cost of rate increase.