Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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626. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he plans to establish the new international protection support service to deal with applicants for international protection; the staff complement that will be seconded to this new organisation; the structure and budget of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13398/21]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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627. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has requested an association (details supplied) to develop the national settlement pattern as per the contents of the White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13403/21]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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653. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will identify the resettlement workers referred to in the White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service who will oversee and link applicants for international protection with supports and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13396/21]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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656. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the relevant Departments, agencies and NGOs that will constitute the programme board to oversee the governance and implementation of the new regime to replace the direct provision model for applicants for international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13425/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 626, 627, 653 and 656 together.

As the Deputy will be aware I have now published the White Paper on ending the 'Direct Provision' system of accommodation and support services. The White Paper sets out a new Government policy to establish a new International Protection Support Service.

The transition to the new system will be led by my Department and progress will be monitored by a Programme Board whose membership will include Government Departments, Agencies, Local Authorities, NGOs and former International Protection applicants. I will shortly begin the process of establishing the Programme Board and will announce the Board once the members have been appointed.

I am also establishing the expert Transition Team who will be tasked with developing a detailed Implementation Plan which will set out the process and timelines for establishing the new model.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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628. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the cost to the State of the direct provision system in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13405/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department currently has contracts in place for 49 accommodation centres, including management contracts for 7 State owned centres. The 49 centres comprise 45 accommodation centres for International Protection applicants, the National Reception Centre for International Protection applicants in Balseskin, Co. Dublin and 3 Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROC) for refugees brought to Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).

Due to continuing increases in the numbers applying for international protection in recent years, these centres reached full operational capacity in September 2018 and a number of premises, hotels and guesthouses, were contracted to provide accommodation on a short-term basis until additional accommodation centres could be provided under a regional tendering competition. There are currently 25 such accommodation premises currently being used to accommodate international protection applicants on a temporary basis.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department also provided 4 dedicated self-isolation facilities for residents in 2020. One of these is still under contract as well as 2 quarantine centres, one for residents who had left their allocated accommodation to live temporarily with famly or friends and a second for newly arrived International Protection applicants seeking accommodation.

My Department contracts for an all-inclusive service, which includes catering services, as well as cleaning, maintenance and laundry services.

The below table provides the total costs in each of the last ten years.