Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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767. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons currently in direct provision. [42347/21]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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773. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons in the direct provision system for less than six and between six and 12 months; the number in excess of one, two, three, four, five, six and seven years, respectively; the corresponding figures for children;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42533/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 767 and 773 together.

As of 07 September 2021, a total of 6,478 people are recorded by my Department as being resident in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), of whom 1,692 are children. This includes people who are resident in Direct Provision centres and in temporary accommodation in hotels and guesthouses.

The table below shows the number of people in accommodation broken down by their length of stay and whether they are an adult or a child.

These figures represent continuous periods of residence and cannot reflect interrupted residential periods where the person may have left IPAS accommodation and returned at a later stage. In addition, these figures only relate to persons who have registered with the International Protection Office (IPO) and do not reflect children resident in the centres who may not have been registered by their parents.

The length of time a person stays in state provided accommodation generally reflects the length of time taken to reach a final conclusion on their application for international protection or other permission to reside in the State and may also include applications to revoke Deportation Orders. As the application process also allows for legal challenges against negative decisions at many stages of the process, the time taken to finalise many cases can be prolonged.

As of the end of August 2021, there are also 1,185 residents with an international protection status or a permission to remain in the State, residing in accommodation centres provided by my Department.

Considerable work is being undertaken to support these residents to move out of accommodation centres and into secure accommodation in the community. My Department has a specific team in IPAS who work in collaboration with a number of key stakeholders to collectively support residents with status, or a permission to remain, to access housing options.

These stakeholders include; Depaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the City and County Managers Association.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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768. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons currently residing in direct provision centres in the State who have qualified for refugee status but continue to reside in direct provision centres. [42348/21]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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769. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports or assistance programmes, services or phonelines available to persons who have qualified for refugee status to help them move out of direct provision centres. [42349/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 768 and 769 together.

International Protection applicants who have been granted an International Protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) or granted a permission to remain, have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals. As of the end of August 2021, there were 1,185 persons who have been granted status and currently reside in accommodation centres provided by my Department.

Significant work is undertaken to support these residents in moving out of accommodation centres and into secure accommodation in the community. My Department has a specific team in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) who work in collaboration with a number of stakeholders to collectively support residents with status, or a permission to remain, to access housing options.

Stakeholders include; Depaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT), the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the City and County Managers Association.

All residents who are successful with their application to the Minister for Justice for a protection status or a permission to remain, are notified by letter by IPAS of the supports available to them and of the contact details of their support workers. These services are funded by my Department. Contact details for housing support workers are also posted in each accommodation centre and are readily available from the centre managers.

On a continuous basis a number of clinics (which provide information on housing options) are held for persons with a form of status. The clinics are held in accommodation centres with both IPAS staff and Depaul/PMVT support workers.

While the supports mentioned here are made available to all residents who have been granted a status, it is always open to them and any other residents to make their own arrangements for accommodation at any time, if they so wish, and many do so.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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771. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the estimated €115 million (details supplied) current spending related to implementing the new direct provision system; the number of budgetary cycles the spending will be take place over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42429/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service (published in February 2021) provides preliminary estimates of per annum current expenditure required for the implementation of the new model of accommodation and supports for international protection applicants. Current expenditure requirements will continue to be developed as part of the detailed implementation planning process for the introduction of the new system. The breakdown of the figures referred to in the question is supplied in the below tables. These figures are included in the White Paper at pages 95 to 100 inclusive.

Department of Social Protection Current Expenditure

Department of Education Current Expenditure

Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science Current Expenditure

Department of Justice

Department of Health/HSE