Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1206. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 472 of 7 March 2023, if an informal offer or discussions have taken place in relation to the use of the property (details supplied) to provide accommodation for migrants, asylum seekers or refugees from any country outside of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16861/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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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 from the invasion of Ukraine, including 79,000 people, of which over 58,000 have sought accommodation.

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 47,000 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.

I am advised by my officials that the property referred to was submitted for consideration as part of the Emergency Refurbishment Programme in the D/Housing, Local Government and Heritage but is not under further consideration.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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1207. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 536 of 28 March 2023, the date on which payments were made available to international protection applicants at a location (details supplied). [16883/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Deputy,

The process to make Daily Expenses Payments to IPAs at Citywest Convention Centre commenced on 1 March 2023 with the first payments received on Monday 6 March. This intensive process continued on site for a number of weeks resulting in approximately 600 people benefitting from the new process.

Applications continue to be received and are processed offsite at Asylum Seekers Unit in North Cumberland Street.

The process to pay arrears due has commenced and the first payments will be received with customers weekly payment on Thursday, 20 April 2023. Payment is in the amount of €100 per week and will continue at this amount each week until the complete entitlement has been discharged.