Written answers

Thursday, 2 May 2024

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

International Protection

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of international protection applicants living in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20066/24]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Department of Integration does not comment on occupancy figures for individual properties given the requirement to maintain the security and right to privacy of International Protection (IP) applicants, and the variability of this data due to the emergency nature of its requirement to provide shelter for IP applicants.

General statistical information may be provided but government policy is to minimise information relating to persons or the location of their place of residence, noting the interests of privacy and security of residents in general.

The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) releases weekly statistics in relation to IP applicants. This includes a per county breakdown of where IP applicants are residing. These statistics are located on the gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/07027-ipas-statistics/.

In the case of County Clare, as of 21 April 2024, there are 739 IP applicants resident in the county.

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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248. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what steps are being put in place to remove the large encampment from the Mount Street area of Dublin; what supports does she intend to offer residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20070/24]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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A joint operation between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; the Department of Justice; An Garda Síochána; Dublin City Council; the Office of Public Works; and the HSE got underway early yesterday morning on Mount Street, Dublin.

The purpose of the operation was to ensure the safe movement of people seeking international protection from the tents on Mount Street to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation. Those seeking international protection have now been safely moved to Citywest and to Crooksling tented accommodation in County Dublin.

The Crooksling site has robust, weather-proof tents. It has toilets and showers; health services; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin City Centre; and 24-hour onsite security.

While in Crooksling accommodation, residents will receive the same supports as at other locations. This includes access to medical care via the HSE social inclusion outreach teams and medical card provision; IPAS customer services team clinics; onsite support from the provider’s staff; and psycho-social and integration support from NGO partners.

The encampment at Mount Street has been dismantled and the streets are being cleaned by Dublin City Council.

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