Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1125. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of direct provision and emergency accommodation centres which were in use by the International Protection Accommodation Services as of 31 December 2021; the occupancy of each of these centres as of 31 December 2021; the contracted capacity of each of these centres in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2211/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Thank you for your question Deputy, the tables below contain the information as you requested:

Please note that the breakdown of statistics is based on the last statistical report created 26 December 2021.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1126. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who are resident in direct provision and emergency accommodation centres under the remit of the International Protection Accommodation Services who are awaiting a final determination on their international protection application; the number of persons still resident in such accommodation centres who have received a positive determination on their international protection application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2212/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Thank you for you question, Deputy. In relation to the first part of the question, the number of persons resident in direct provision and emergency accommodation centres who are awaiting a final determination on their international protection application, this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice. 

I can confirm that at 31 December 2021, the number of persons still resident in such accommodation centres, who have received a positive determination on their international protection application was 1,761. I trust this information satisfies your query.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1127. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of his plans to close all emergency accommodation centres; the expected timeline for the closure of emergency centres that are still in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2213/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has been working to reduce dependency on emergency accommodation since early 2020 and has already closed 20 such centres, which is approximately half of the number that were in use at one time.  The latest was closed earlier this month.

There are currently 24 emergency accommodation centres around the country. One is due to close at the end of February 2022.  

The end of the use of emergency accommodation has been targeted for 2022. This is in the context of the wider White Paper commitment to end direct provision by the end of 2024. The speed at which it will be possible to reduce the use of emergency accommodation will depend on a number of factors, including the demand for accommodation and capacity across the direct provision network. As the Deputy may be aware, there has been a sharp increase in the number of new arrivals seeking international protection accommodation. There have been over 1,900 new arrivals in the period from 1 November 2021 to 16 January 2022.

My Department is this week publishing a Request for Tender to procure additional accommodation for singles, couples and families seeking international protection. This tender process is a key plank in the Department’s strategy to end reliance on emergency accommodation.