Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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443. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1125 of 19 January 2022, the number of direct provision centres, emergency centres, reception centres and tented accommodation locations which were in use by the International Protection Accommodation Services as of 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2022; the occupancy of each of these centres and locations as of 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2022; the contracted capacity of each centre and location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7291/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy, as requested see below the number of direct provision centres, emergency centres, reception centres and tented accommodation locations which were in use by the International Protection Accommodation Services as of 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2022; the occupancy of each of these centres and locations as of 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2022; the contracted capacity of each centre and location, in tabular form:

It should be noted that the figures are approximate as some centres were contracted on a room basis instead of occupancy and were given a capacity of 2 per room.

It should also be noted that the locations of the centres will be supplied at a later date due to the voluminous workload involved in preparing this information by location.

As at 05 February 2023, there are 19,741 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole, compared with 8,500 at this time last year.

Since the beginning of 2022, Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase of new arrivals seeking international protection (IP).

The State has a legal and moral obligation to assess the claims of those who seek refuge and to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018).

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, 1,241 people have arrived seeking international protection in Ireland. The most recent seven-day average count for those seeking accommodation stands at 258.

I trust this information clarifies the matter Deputy.