Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am committed to developing a new operational policy better to support LGBTI+ international protection applicants living in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation centres.

The operational policy will be developed in partnership with current and former residents of IPAS accommodation. It will include the development of policies to ensure that the needs of LGBTI+ applicants are addressed and that the specific accommodation needs of transgender applicants are met

The new policy stems from an action contained in the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy (2019-2021), which I chair and my Department is responsible for, to ‘Develop a broad LGBTI+ policy, including a transgender accommodation policy, to promote equality, take account of self-determined identity and to ensure that the safety and well-being of all residents is promoted’.

Following a procurement process I am pleased to have awarded a contract to LGBT Ireland to undertake qualitative research to examine the experiences of LGBTI+ people living in IPAS accommodation, benchmark against international best practice, and make recommendations. This will ensure the independence and ethical viability of the new operational policy to better support LGBTI+ residents. The initial meeting of my Department and LGBT Ireland was on the 5 July 2022.

The current policy of IPAS is to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of all residents. The safety and protection of residents who disclose to IPAS that they are transgender is a priority for my Department. IPAS and all accommodation centres under contract to it, are committed to establishing safeguards to help protect residents from harassment and bullying. IPAS has taken steps to accommodate the needs of residents that are transgender, and ensure the well-being of all residents.

In addition the Integration and Supports operational policy being developed for the implementation of A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service, includes measures to assist LGBTI+ asylum applicants with specific vulnerabilities while their applications are being assessed.