Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Please see, in tabular format, the total spend of IPAS accommodation, for the last three years respectively.

Year	Expenditure
2021	€190,856,000
2022	€356,554,000
2023	€651,713,647

Due to the sharing of Citywest reception centre, a portion of costs were transferred from the Ukraine Division to International Protection and a revision was made to the year end sum for 2023, bringing the final total to €651,713,647.

As at 31st March 2024, there are over 28,000 International Protection (IP) applicants accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation system as a whole, compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. Together with Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection displaced by the war in Ukraine, this means that Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people in state-supported accommodation.

This is a nationwide urgent situation and centres have been opened in all parts of the country. Since January 2022, the Department has brought over 200 properties into use to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection. All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. While demand continues to outstrip supply, the Department on behalf of the Government, is doing all it can to ensure that families and children have been accommodated. However, due to increased arrivals of families and couples in tandem with delays in opening some properties, there is an imminent possibility of a shortage of family accommodation.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On the 27th March 2024 my department announced a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection applicants.

This strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall for International Protection applicants, while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State will always be able to meet its international commitments.

The reforms will see a move away from full reliance on private providers and towards a core of State-owned accommodation, delivering 14,000 State-owned beds by 2028 – quadruple the previous commitment under the White Paper. This will be supplemented, as required, by high standard commercial providers.

Accommodation in the new strategy will be delivered through the following multi-strand approach:

• Use of State land for prefabricated and modular units
• Conversation of commercial buildings
• Targeted purchase of medium and larger turnkey properties
• Design and build of new Reception and Integration Centres
• Upgrading of IPAS centres.

A number of State-owned sites have been identified including some HSE sites. Assessments of the sites are currently underway for use. The Department intends to bring the first sites into use within months.