Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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534. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all applicants for asylum are now being processed to the Dublin office before being assigned to direct provision accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28340/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Anyone who wishes to make an application for international protection must proactively do so on their own behalf and on behalf of any of their minor family members. If they apply initially at their port of entry to the State they will still need to make a formal application at the Dublin offices of the International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department.

If a person attending the IPO indicates that they require accommodation, they are referred to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. IPAS staff are onsite at the IPO each day to assist applicants.

When a person presents to an Immigration Officer assigned to the Border Management Unit of my Department at Dublin Airport and seeks international protection, they are referred to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) for processing in accordance with Section 13 of the International Protection Act 2015. This includes the completion of an application form and the taking of fingerprints for comparison against the Eurodac database. 

Upon completion of this process, GNIB contacts IPAS who provide transport from the airport to a nominated accommodation centre.  

At all other ports of entry into the State, people seeking international protection will present to an Immigration Officer who is a member of An Garda Síochána.  These applicants are also processed in accordance with Section 13 of the International Protection Act 2015. Upon completion of this process, contact is made with IPAS, who will provide accommodation at a nominated centre.