Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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179. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has received a request from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to identify properties under the control of his Department or under the control of agencies under the remit of his Department for the purposes of providing accommodation to international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection; if he has identified potential properties and their locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7933/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In his request dated 2nd February 2023, my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and his Department, has asked Departments for any assistance specific from their sector for any vacant buildings that could immediately house a minimum of 50+ people. Such accommodation must have suitable facilities such as showers, toilets and in locations with appropriate fire, health and safety standards and certification.

My Department, which includes the Companies Registration Office, the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland, the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission, does not own any property. The Department and its Offices are tenants in ten buildings provided to it across the country by the Office of Public Works (OPW) who manage the public property portfolio on behalf of Government Departments. In all bar one of these buildings, my Department shares with other tenants, be they other Government Departments, public bodies and private sector tenants.

Since last autumn my Department has been engaging with the OPW and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) as to the feasibility of part of the Department’s office accommodation being re-purposed in support of Ireland’s humanitarian response to international protection applicants. To date, no accommodation has been considered feasible for re-purposing by the OPW.

In relation to the Agencies under the remit of my Department, the IDA Ireland has a property portfolio, which is a combination of industrial units and land sites which are zoned for industrial usage. No IDA property currently possess the prerequisites as set out by the DCEDIY in terms of the necessary sanitation, health and safety, fire and buildings standards certification to satisfactorily and immediately house international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection. Nonetheless, IDA will keep the issue under review.