Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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822. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if, following the report of the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process, there are plans to increase the direct provision allowance. [12886/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The provision of material reception conditions, including food and health services, for applicants for International Protection who are awaiting a decision on their application is the responsibility of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).

My department administers the daily expenses allowance (DEA) which is paid to protection applicants who reside in accommodation provided by IPAS in order to meet incidental, personal expenses.

The Government has provided €20.15 million for the allowance in 2022. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child. There are approximately 10,600 adults and 2,300 children residing in IPAS provided accommodation in respect of whom daily expenses allowance is being paid.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is leading the implementation of the commitments contained in the White Paper to End Direct Provision, adopted by the Government in February 2021.

Any increases to the rate of daily expenses allowance, pending the implementation of the White Paper to End Direct Provision, would have to be approved by Government and considered in an overall budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.