Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

964. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an application has been received to utilise a facility (details supplied) in Birr, County Offaly, as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine with over 77,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 57,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department.

Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, my Department has contracted in excess of 43,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.

I am advised by my officials that the property referred to by the Deputy is operational since 21 February 2023 in accommodating beneficiaries of temporary protection with capacity for 76 persons.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

965. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when payment will issue in relation to accommodation being provided for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13425/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has engaged over 750 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 my Department is according this issue very high priority.

I am advised by my officials that one of the invoices highlighted was paid on 9^thof March 2023, with payment for the other expected to issue in the coming week, pending final checks.

The delay in payment is due to the large volume of invoices being received by my Department. Additional resources have been assigned within my Department, in addition to outsourcing of some tasks to accelerate processing. The volume of payments issuing is steadily growing. My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.