Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of commercial and non-commercial buildings that have been leased by or loaned to and refurbished by IPAS to provide accommodation for people in the international protection system, that is, IP applications and recipients of TPOs, broken down by county and the number of residents per building; and if each building has an updated fire certificate for residential occupation of the building, in tabular form. [8912/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy, as the requested information is quite voluminous, my officials will require more time to answer this parliamentary question comprehensively. Significant resources in my Department are focused on the delivery and management of emergency accommodation for international protection applicants.

My officials will provide the Deputy with the details as soon as is possible.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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181. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all buildings being used by IPAS to provide accommodation for people in the international protection system that do not have an up-to-date fire safety certificate for residential occupation; and if he will provide a detailed explanation of the status of the fire safety works required to bring them in line with the requirements or conditions requested by the Fire Safety Authority and Building Control Authority in order to issue a valid fire safety certificate. [8913/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy, the International Protection Procurement Services (IPPS) can confirm that there are two buildings being used by IPAS to provide accommodation for people in the international protection system that do not presently have fire safety certificates in place.

Breaffy Woods Arena currently has a regularisation certificate in place. The provider has applied for a valid Fire Safety Certificate for the building and has made a statutory declaration that the works will comply fully with the application and that any conditions attached to the application are adhered to within 4 months of the application being granted. The Department closely monitors the provider's progress towards compliance in meeting the required conditions.

An application for a Fire Safety Certificate for Century House is in train. Remedial works on the basis of a consultant's advice have been completed. The result of this application is expected shortly.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if urgent payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8972/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. In line with the Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, I temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The enlarged team approved more than 100 million euros worth of payments.

My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and the Department is according this issue very high priority.

I am advised by my officials that the outstanding invoices for the companies mentioned in the Details Supplied are currently being prioritised for payment. A definite date cannot be supplied as yet, as a number of checks are underway, including queries on a number of these invoices.