Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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477. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will confirm whether a management company (details supplied) or IPAS are asking people with the right to remain to leave direct provision centres; if he will guarantee that these people will not be made homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11447/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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With regard to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) requesting Persons with Status in Clondalkin Towers Accommodation centre to leave IPAS accommodation centres, I can confirm that no such targeted request has been made.

Unfortunately due to the current shortfall in accommodation there are over 200 international protection applicants (IPAs) that IPAS has been unable to accommodate.

As of end of February 2023, there were 5,048 persons with status/right to remain in IPAS accommodation. This refers to a person with refugee status or subsidiary protection or persons with a Stamp 4 permission to remain in the State. It is important that they move out of IPAS accommodation as quickly as possible so that those who are currently unaccommodated can be offered accommodation.

People residing in IPAS accommodation who are no longer IPAs and who have been granted an international protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) or a permission to remain, are entitled to the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals. There are a number of supports available to persons with status to assist in accessing housing in the community when leaving accommodation centres.

My Department has a specific team in IPAS who work in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the County and City Management Association and Local Authorities to collectively support residents with status/permission to remain, to move on from IPAS accommodation and to access housing options.

In addition to assisting with housing applications, both DePaul Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust support the person’s integration into the community as fully as possible. This includes providing information about vocational and training courses, such as suitability, locations and eligibility, CV preparation and aid with medical issues, should they arise.

IPAS encourages people with status in these centres to cooperate with the services to assist in their transition into the community.

I trust this clarifies the matter Deputy.