Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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72. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on increasing the weekly allowance for asylum seekers to €58.80. [48727/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Applicants for International Protection accommodated under the system of Direct Provision, operated by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, are provided with full board accommodation and other facilities and services.

My department administers the daily expenses allowance (DEA) which is paid to protection applicants who live in the direct provision system.

The Government has provided €13.1 million for the allowance in 2021. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child. There are approximately 3,820 adults and 1,530 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom daily expenses allowance is being paid.

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