Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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292. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update in respect of the progress that has been made since the publication of a white paper to end direct provision; the number of international protection applicants that have transitioned into the new model to date in 2022; and if he will provide an update in respect of the work completed by implementation partners such as the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the local authorities to develop and implement the new accommodation model and support services. [52548/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since publishing A White Paper to end Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Servicein February 2021 my department has placed a significant focus on delivering these reforms.

A new, dedicated Transition Team has been established in the Department to drive implementation of the new model. Governance structures have put in place in the form of a Programme Board which includes representation from the NGO sector and an External Advisory Committee to oversee transition to the new system. The Board has met regularly over the past 15 months to review progress.

In order to secure the accommodation required, intensive cooperation has been underway with key implementation partners such as the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the Local Authorities to develop the new accommodation model and support services. This work has included the development of an acquisition policy, a Local Authority Allocation key, an ownership model and a funding model. Proposals in relation to the ownership model were brought to the Programme Board in November 2021 and approved by myself in January 2022. In collaboration with the Housing Agency a funding model for Approved Housing Bodies is being developed.

Planning advanced on the acquisition of a range of properties for Phase Two accommodation, the integration support system that will apply including the launch in August 2022 of a €1m integration fund. The aim of this fund is to fund civil society organisations to support the integration of International Protection applicants. The awards will be announced shortly.

As will be appreciated, the war in Ukraine has had an unavoidable impact on timelines for the implementation of the White Paper, as staff in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have been temporarily diverted to fulfil Ireland’s obligations including members of the White paper Transition Team. Upwards of 54,000 people displaced by the war in Ukraine have come to Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive, and in excess of 42,000 have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State. Alongside this, there has been a substantial increase in the number of people seeking international protection with over 11,500 arrivals in the first three quarters of 2022 alone. Overall my department is now accommodating over 60,000 people, compared with 7,500 at this time last year. The Department is working diligently to manage the response to the Ukraine crisis whilst continuing to progress the aims of the White Paper.

In this vastly changed context an overall review of the projected timelines and deliverables in the White Paper is currently underway. This is a complex exercise that will take account of both the delays that have arisen as a consequence of the war in Ukraine and the impact of the substantial increase in numbers seeking International Protection.

An initial paper with some options and recommendations has been brought to the White Paper Programme Board for their input and feedback.

Notwithstanding the impact of the Ukraine crisis, the implementation of the new model is and will continue to be a key priority for the department.