Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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191. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of international protection applicants currently accommodated in Citywest convention centre; of this number, the number of children under the age of eighteen years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62527/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy, as of 12 December 2022, there are 764 International Protection applicants currently accommodated in the Citywest Convention Centre. Of that number, 68 are under 18 years of age.

As of today, there are almost 18,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation system as a whole. At this point in 2021, there were approximately 7,250 persons in IPAS accommodation.

These figures are in addition to the arrival of over 61,600 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in the last 10 months, as a result of the war in Ukraine.

To date, almost 50,000 BOTPs have sought and received accommodation assistance from the State.

The pressure on this Department to accommodate over 67,000 people currently has led to significant shortages, particularly for people seeking international protection.

All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. Given the significantly increased numbers of arrivals in the context of accommodation shortages, the Department has no option but to consider all offers of accommodation.

My Department is availing of all offers of accommodation made to it, including the use of office buildings and sports facilities, to address the accommodation shortfall. These options are necessary in order to provide shelter to international protection arrivals, to meet basic needs and to prevent homelessness.

Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. There have been circa 40 accommodation locations utilised since January across 13 counties.

My officials continue to seek to acquire further accommodation to increase IPAS capacity and, on 18 January 2022, published a request for tender (RFT) to procure additional accommodation for singles, couples and families seeking international protection. The RFT was re-published in October and closed on 8 November.