Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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82. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of international protection applicants who have not been provided with accommodation and have been directed to homeless services; if he will end this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6138/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Due to the nationwide shortage of available accommodation for international protection applicants (IPAs), particularly single males, the Citywest transit hub has been providing emergency shelter while IPAs wait to be assigned to accommodation.

On 24 January, the Citywest transit hub reached capacity and entry for new IPAs was paused on that date.

As of 7 February the total number of people who have not been accommodated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) since 24 January stands at 109.

Over 80 IPAs who were previously not provided accommodation on arrival have since been contacted and subsequently accommodated in IPAS accommodation. This leaves a balance of 29 people who have not been accommodated at this time.

Any IPAs who are not provided with accommodation when applying for international protection at the International Protection Office (IPO) have their contact details taken, are provided with food vouchers and are directed to homeless services. As suitable accommodation options become available these people will be contacted by IPAS.

During this time IPAS has continued to provide accommodation for all IP families with children.

Owing to the lack of any suitable IPAS accommodation in the short to medium term, this closure may be of a longer duration than previous closures. The situation will remain under constant review.

The response to the ongoing migration crisis has now entered an extremely difficult phase, with insufficient accommodation available nationwide for IPAs and the outlook for accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine is also extremely challenging.

Since the beginning of 2022, Ireland has accommodated more than 74,000 people who have fled here, between IPAs and those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Last year, over 15,000 people arrived in Ireland seeking accommodation while their applications for international protection are processed by the International Protection Office (IPO). Over the period 2017-2019 an average of 3,500 people applied for protection each year. In the first month of 2023, 1,240 people have arrived seeking international protection in Ireland.

Intensive efforts are being undertaken daily by staff in DCEDIY to source emergency accommodation. However, procuring enough bed space to keep pace with incoming arrivals remains extremely pressurised and continues to lead to very significant shortages.