John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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1435. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the proposals by an organisation (details supplied); his views in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38516/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The correspondence under reference raises matters which are the policy responsibility of a number of Departments. I will focus on the issue of accommodation. As at 06 September 2023, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is providing accommodation to 23,185 people.

The pace of arrivals of international protection applicants continues to be high, with over 7,100 persons arriving in the first thirty-six weeks of 2023.

While 170 new emergency accommodation centres have been opened since 1 January 2022, and while IPAS has brought accommodation on-stream in a range of repurposed buildings and facilities, arrivals have consistently run ahead of available capacity.

As regards to persons with status in IPAS accommodation, those who have been granted an international protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) or a permission to remain have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals, including to rent a room schemes. The tools of Homeless HAP are available to those with status in IPAS accommodation once the Local Authority has assessed them as eligible for such.

There are a number of supports available to persons with status to assist in accessing housing in the community when leaving accommodation centres. The 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 to collectively support residents with status, or a permission to remain, to access housing options.

An initial paper with some options and recommendations was brought to the White Paper Programme Board for their input and feedback. A sub-group of the Programme Board was established, to focus on developing further the set of recommendations and proposals. An interim report from this sub-group has now been received by the Department. As indicated, the External Advisory Group has also provided a paper with observations and recommendations for consideration.

A revised implementation approach is being developed to take account of the impact of the war in Ukraine and of the significant increase in IPA arrivals which is greatly in excess of the assumptions underpinning the Catherine Day Advisory Group report.

Policy on rent a room schemes and those who are eligible to access homeless services is a matter for the Department of Housing.

In 2021, the Daily Expense Allowance was increased to €38.80 for adults and €29.80 for children (from €19.10 for an adult and €9.60 for children). Any further increase of this allowance would be subject to budgetary provisions.

After six months, international protection applicants are eligible to access the labour market if they have not received a first instance decision on their application.

Labour market access was introduced in June 2018 for all applicants who have not had a first decision on their claim within 9 months. In January 2021 a new measure was introduced allowing applicants to access the labour market 6 months after they make their application, and extending their permission to work to 12 months (up from 6 months). Any further questions on Labour Market Access should be directed to Department of Justice.

My Department is working intensively to respond to the current demand for accommodation for international protection applicant arrivals and will continue to prioritise the implementation of the reforms set out in the White Paper.