Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons refused accommodation in direct provision centres to date; the alternatives offered to such persons; the length of time between refusal and their being offered accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39044/18]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Persons seeking international protection are offered accommodation and related services by my Department. Not every person accepts this offer.

As of last Sunday evening, 5,715 persons were accommodated in 36 accommodation centres around the State. This is from a contracted capacity of 5,837 with 80 spaces unavailable due to family configurations etc., and 35 spaces available for new applicants.

To address this shortage, the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department has been working actively to find solutions to the increased demand for its accommodation over the past months.

RIA has added a net 646 beds to its portfolio over the last twelve months, including by opening of new centres in Lisdoonvarna and Moate. However, in recent weeks the number of people arriving in Ireland applying for international protection has increased.

Due to this increase, full capacity was reached and RIA had to prioritise accommodation for families and other vulnerable persons who presented and were unable to offer immediate accommodation services to some people. The numbers who did not initially receive an offer of accommodation are relatively small and RIA has been working to meet their needs and indeed many have since been offered accommodation. Further efforts to provide accommodation to international protection applicants will involve the opening of new accommodation centres.

It is an extremely rare event for a person not to be offered accommodation in Ireland on arrival.

To address current and future needs, advertisements have been placed in the national media seeking additional accommodation that must be fully compliant with the recommendations of the McMahon report. Quite separate to this, RIA is also engaged in an open competitive process to establish a framework of accommodation centres from which we can draw down accommodation as and when needed over the coming years.

In addition to increasing the accommodation portfolio, the Reception and Integration Agency has provided funding to NGOs and housing organisations to provide house-finding and support services to residents who have received status to obtain permanent homes in the community.