Written answers
Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
International Protection
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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1340. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for a list of all IPAS centres providing accommodation to beneficiaries of temporary protection; the breakdown of residents in each centre, by age bracket, relationship status and gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56726/23]
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1413. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current occupancy number of all IPAS accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection; the current capacity of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1185/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1340 and 1413 together.
My Department does not publicly detail the locations of accommodation centres in the interest of the privacy and security of residents and providers. For the same reason, my Department also does not publicly detail the occupancy, contracted capacity and location of each centre.
I can inform the Deputy that, at the end of 2023, there were some 58,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) reported as receiving accommodation under my Department’s remit (gov.ie - Accommodation of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) (www.gov.ie)). Data on relationship status is not collated in the manner requested by the Deputy. In respect of gender and age cohorts, I can report that some 30% are under 18 years of age, and that about 60% of BOTPs are female and 40% are male. The following table, figures rounded, outlines the position at the end of September 2023.
| Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection – Q3 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Class | Female | Male | % of Total |
| 0-4 years | 51% | 49% | 5.2% |
| 5-9 years | 48% | 52% | 9.0% |
| 10-14 years | 50% | 50% | 9.4% |
| 15-19 years | 45% | 55% | 8.4% |
| 20-24 years | 63% | 37% | 5.3% |
| 25-29 years | 61% | 39% | 6.5% |
| 30-34 years | 63% | 37% | 8.4% |
| 35-39 years | 65% | 35% | 10.4% |
| 40-44 years | 67% | 33% | 9.0% |
| 45-49 years | 68% | 32% | 6.9% |
| 50-54 years | 70% | 30% | 5.3% |
| 55-59 years | 76% | 24% | 4.1% |
| 60-64 years | 64% | 36% | 4.7% |
| 65-69 years | 65% | 35% | 3.5% |
| 70-74 years | 71% | 29% | 2.1% |
| 75-79 years | 74% | 26% | 0.8% |
| 80-84 years | 79% | 21% | 0.3% |
| 85 + years | 81% | 19% | 0.2% |
| Total | 60% | 40% | 100% |
I also wish to draw attention to the wide ranging analysis produced by the CSO on a regular basis as part of its ‘Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland Series’ (www.cso.ie/en/statistics/population/arrivalsfromukraineinireland/)
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 regularly 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 last 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, currently over 94%, and my officials are actively contacting 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.
The total number of vacancies available for allocation changes daily as vacancies are both validated and allocated to BOTPs on a daily basis. While the number of total available vacancies notified to my Department are not insignificant and welcomed, it is important to note that a large proportion of the vacancies notified will be for small numbers of beds in disparate locations which brings logistical difficulties. Where small numbers are identified these are regularly single beds available in family rooms with resident BOTPs, which are difficult to fill.
My Department will continue to engage with providers to fill suitable vacancies where this is possible.
John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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1341. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unannounced inspections of emergency and permanent IPAS centres providing accommodation to international protection applicants, either by IPAS officials or an independent inspectorate company carried out in 2022 and to date in 2023; the names of the centres which were subject to these inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56727/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. The information requested is being collated and a response will be provided to the Deputy in the coming days.
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