Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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523. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth why a person (details supplied) who has been availing of temporary accommodation in Waterford, has been refused permission to stay with her daughter in Athlone to help her with her newborn child. [42302/23]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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524. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth why person (details supplied) who was heavily pregnant at the time was accommodated on the 3rd floor of a converted convent. [42303/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 524 together.

I am advised by my officials that the BOTP to which the Deputy refers was allocated accommodation with her mother in Waterford on arrival into Ireland. She chose to leave that accommodation and moved to accommodation in another part of the country for employment reasons. When that fell through, my officials allocated another accommodation to her.

In line with services available to others living in Ireland, the HSE engaged with the BOTP to arrange local access to healthcare services near her accommodation.

Where medical issues are raised, my Department works with the HSE on the basis of a protocol which sets out the priority cases for medical moves. Unless a case is deemed eligible for a move to our very limited accommodation near hospitals and treatment centres, BOTPs can access supports for treatment and transport through the Community Response Forum.

All requests to relocate on medical grounds must be sent to my Department at -UkraineTempAccom@equality.gov.ie

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Each accommodation provider who has a contract with my Department to provide accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) is required to notify my officials of any vacancies at the accommodation on a weekly basis. There is only one way to make such a notification and that is by sending a weekly register via email to a designated mailbox.

Maximising the use of contracted vacancies is a priority for my Department. A dedicated team were established in Q2 of this year to actively validate vacancies notified to us by accommodation providers to ensure these are within contract and meet our standards. In addition, improvements to our processes have significantly increased accommodation provider compliance with the requirement to submit weekly registers and my officials are actively contacting those outstanding providers not currently doing so to ensure we have a full picture of contracted vacancies.

There are a number of circumstances, however, under which vacancies cannot be used in the short term and must be paused. Where a provider is nearing the end of their contract, for example, or where an issue has been raised with my Department such that the provider’s offering is under review, vacancies notified by that accommodation provider will not be filled until these matters are resolved to ensure the safety and security of BOTPs.

Vacancies which are suitable for immediate use are made available by my officials to operational teams for allocation. Due to varying room configurations and geographical location, some vacancies may take longer to fill then others given they are utilised to meet the specific requirements of individuals and family groups of BOTPs. Accommodation providers can be assured that if they have notified my Department of their vacancies through the correct channel, my officials are aware of them, are actively working them, and they will be availed of provided they meet required standards.