Written answers
Tuesday, 25 June 2019
Department of Justice and Equality
International Protection
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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254. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applicants for international protection who have applied for, been granted or refused the right to work since June 2018 under regulation 11 of the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26165/19]
Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 which I signed into effect from 30 June, 2018, includes access to the labour market for eligible international protection applicants. The Regulations provide a wide access to both employment and self-employment in almost all sectors and categories of employment.
I am advised by Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that, since the introduction of the Regulations, a total of 3,920 international protection applicants have applied for a permission to access the labour market. Of those, 2,665 were granted a permission and 1,139 were refused as ineligible.
| Granted | 2,665 |
|---|---|
| Ineligible | 1,139 |
| Pending* | 116 |
| Total | 3,920 |
* Pending figure includes applications which have not reached 9 months, and those awaiting the return of requested supporting documents. The majority of cases pending are ultimately granted.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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255. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of occasions he has withdrawn the right to work of an international protection applicant under regulation 12 of the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26166/19]
Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Regulation 12 of the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 allows for the withdrawal of a labour market access permission if certain conditions are not adhered to by the permission holder, for example, where the permission holder has entered into a business partnership or employed another individual.
I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service of my Department (INIS) that since the introduction of the 2018 Regulations on 30 June, 2018, a total of 2,665 international protection applicants have been granted a labour market access permission. To date, no permission to access the labour market has been withdrawn under the Regulations.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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256. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who made an application for international protection or requested reception that have not been placed in a reception or accommodation centre; the way in which reception conditions for such applicants and recipients are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26167/19]
David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Reception and Integration Agency of my Department has been encountering significant upward pressure on its accommodation portfolio. Coupled with an increase in the number of people applying for protection in recent years is the large number of people with an international protection status or a permission to remain who continue to live in RIA accommodation. RIA has approximately the same number of persons with status living in its centres as it has applicants housed in emergency accommodation. People with status or permission to remain have the same access to mainstream housing supports and services as nationals. RIA is working intensively with the Peter McVerry Trust, Depaul and the PATHS project to assist these people to transition to mainstream housing services.
As of 9th June 2019 there were 777 residents accommodated in 27 emergency accommodation locations.
RIA endeavours to accommodate all international protection applicants who require accommodation initially at Balseskin Reception Centre. They will then be dispersed to a RIA accommodation centre or an emergency accommodation location.
The duration of stay in the emergency accommodation is intended to be for as short a time as possible prior to being transferred to a contracted RIA accommodation centre when places become available. Family composition, ages of children and medical needs are factors which are taken into account in determining the sequence of persons transferred to centres from emergency accommodation.
Persons accommodated in emergency accommodation are provided with full board accommodation. SafetyNet, on behalf of the HSE, offers medical screening to those applicants who do not receive screening at Balseskin Reception Centre. Additionally, the RIA is liaising with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to assist in the process of linking residents with local Community Welfare Services. Staff from RIA are meeting with the residents in these locations to discuss any issues that may arise. In addition, RIA is seeking to contract a Visiting Support and Cultural Liaison Service from the NGO community by the end of this month to assist those residents during their time in the emergency accommodation.
Premises proposed for use as emergency accommodation facilities are inspected by RIA staff prior to opening, and their suitability is assessed, taking all necessary regulatory and legislative requirements into account.
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