Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the allowance for adults in direct provision from €38.80 per week to €40, €42, €43, €44 and €45, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14725/19]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the allowance for children in direct provision from €29.80 to €31, €32, €33, €34 and €35, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14726/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 505 and 506 together.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection administers the daily expenses allowance which is paid to applicants for international protection who live in the direct provision system where they are provided with full board, accommodation and other services by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice and Equality.

The Government has provided €9.38 million for the allowance in 2019.  The weekly rates of payment were increased in Budget 2019 from €21.60 per adult and per child to €38.80 per adult and to €29.80 per child.

There are approximately 3,700 adults and 1,600 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom daily expenses allowance is being paid.  The full-year costs, based on the current numbers, of increasing the adult rate from €38.80 to €40.00, €42.00, €43.00, €44.00 and €45.00, and of increasing the weekly child rate from €29.80 to €31.00, €32.00, €33.00, €34.00 and €35.00 are provided in the tabular statements.

Any increases to the rate of daily expenses allowance would have to be approved by Government and considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement 1: Cost of increasing Adult Rate of Daily Expenses Allowances.

Tabular Statement 2: Cost of increasing Child Rate of Daily Expenses Allowance