Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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473. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of residents in direct provision who have secured refugee status but remained at direct provision centres in the end of 2020. [5176/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As of 31 December 2020 there were 1,010 residents accommodated by my Department who had secured an International Protection status or a permission to remain in the State.

Residents who have been granted an International Protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) or a permission to remain have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals.

Considerable work is being undertaken to support these residents to move out of accommodation centres and into secure permanent accommodation. My Department has a specific team who work in collaboration with Depaul Ireland, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and the City and County Managers Association to collectively support residents with status or permission to remain to access housing options.

Throughout 2020 a total of 1,136 people moved to accommodation in the community, of whom 799 received assistance from the support services outlined. This compares to a total of 837 people who moved to community housing in 2019 from accommodation centres.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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474. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of new direct provision centres opened in 2019 and 2020. [5177/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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During the years 2019 and 2020 there were seven new accommodation centres for International Protection applicants opened in total, with a combined capacity of 784 beds. In addition to these seven centres, one further centre in Co. Kerry was contracted on a short-term contract from March 2020 but was closed in September 2020.