Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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633. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he and his Department have identified vacant buildings throughout the country which might be used for asylum seekers or refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26389/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In March 2022, the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) was tasked with identifying multi-unit vacant properties (both privately and state owned) that may be suitable and available as accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine, and worked closely with Local Authorities and other state organisations and Departments throughout this process.

More recently in an effort to streamline the process, particularly for private owned properties, a more central registration system has been developed. Buildings that are in need of refurbishment are now submitted through DCEDIY's Offers of Commercial Accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine

The Department of the Taoiseach has established the Accommodation Working Group, to consider potential strands of accommodation offers for BOTPs and applicants for International Protection, and to determine a process for deciding on projects involving the refurbishment of buildings.

These decisions are made by a Technical Working Group (TWG) working under the auspices of the Accommodation Working Group. Membership of the TWG includes DHLGH, DCEDIY, the Department of the Taoiseach, the Office of Public Works, the Local Government Management Agency and the City and County Management Association.

Separately, the International Protection Accommodation Service works with contractors to repurpose vacant buildings for use in accommodating International Protection applicants. A number of such projects are currently in development.