Written answers
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
International Protection
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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644.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of State-owned buildings that have been built or acquired for the purposes of accommodating beneficiaries of temporary protection, with a breakdown of the number of units delivered by county, the bed capacity per building delivered, the capital cost per building and per bed delivered, in each of the years 2022 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [25206/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since the outset of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, over 107,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and over 84,000 of those have been referred to my Department seeking accommodation from the State.
Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types were contracted, hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, hostels, self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. My Department has been involved in building projects as outlined below.
Following government decisions in March and June 2022, the Office of Public Works (OPW) was asked by Government to develop a pilot programme of 500 rapid build homes on behalf of and funded by my Department. That number was subsequently increased to 700 in October 2022.
The first phase of seven sites involving 310 units is completed with 1,240 residents having moved into their new homes. The cost of each unit is approximately €145,000 per unit (45m² / 484sqft), inclusive of supply, delivery and provision of loose electrical and household items. This is separate to the site development and utility connection costs, etc. relating to the overall development. As the project is still ongoing and further sites are under consideration, it is not possible to provide the information sought in the manner which the Deputy requested.
In March 2023, in addition to the OPW Rapid build programme, my Department was requested to explore a proof of concept modular accommodation project in respect of modular units with a faster delivery window than the OPW rapid homes project . One such project was initiated, in Columb Barracks, Mullingar, which is currently nearing completion.
This project is delivering 62 new modular accommodation units with accommodation for a maximum of 248 people. The first 50 units on the site are already occupied by families, with the final 12 units to be delivered over the coming weeks. The cost of each unit will be approximately €185,000 (52m² / 560sqft), inclusive of supply, delivery, fitting out and the site development and water connection costs. As the project is still ongoing, it is not possible to provide the information sought in the manner which the Deputy requested.
I would like to highlight that the sites in all of the above cases are the subject of leases or licences, and that none of the sites have been purchased by my Department to date.
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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645.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to specify the occupancy of IPAS accommodation at the end of each month from January 2023 to May 2024; and to provide a breakdown of new entrants to IPAS accommodation and the number of persons exiting IPAS by month from January 2023 to May 2024, in tabular form [25207/24]
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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646.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to specify the average duration spent in IPAS accommodation by persons that applied for international protection from January 2023, with a breakdown of the duration spent in IPAS accommodation by applicants processed under the standard and accelerated procedure respectively from January 2023 to April 2024, in tabular form [25208/24]
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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647.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to specify the average duration spent in IPAS accommodation by international protection beneficiaries following the grant of status and the duration spent in IPAS accommodation by persons denied protection status post-decision for applications in which a final decision was made from January 2023. [25209/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 645 to 647, inclusive, together.
There are currently over 31,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom over 7,680 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022.
Weekly and Monthly statistics are available publicly on the gov.ie at the links below:
gov.ie - IPAS Statistics (www.gov.ie)
www.gov.ie/en/publication/07027-ipas-statistics/
When an International Protection application has been processed, and the person is granted a form of status that allows them to remain resident in Ireland, that person is granted the same rights as any other Irish citizen in respect of accommodation. They are written to once status has been granted and are advised they must now seek alternative accommodation. They are also advised that the supports of the Peter McVerry Trust/DePaul Ireland are available to them.
5595 people with status were in IPAS accommodation at the end of May 2024.
Those with status for the greatest length of time are currently being offered a transfer to alternative emergency accommodation. This process began in September 2022 with single people with status. Currently singles/couples with status over 9 months and families with status over 18 months are being offered alternative accommodation.
Matters related to making of a deportation order or an unsuccessful application for International Protection/Leave to Remain are the responsibility of the Department of Justice.
Of the people who have arrived into IPAS accommodation from the beginning of January 2023 to date, the average duration spent in IPAS accommodation is 9.85 Months.
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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648.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of people in State-funded accommodation both Ukrainian and International Protection Applicants each month since January 2023 not including those in receipt of the accommodation recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25210/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since the outset of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, Ireland is currently providing accommodation to approximately 76,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants. This includes over 45,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) currently in DCEDIY supported accommodation and approximately 31,000 International Protection applicants currently in IPAS accommodation. Prior to the war in Ukraine, there were 8,300 applicants for international protection in State supported accommodation.
The table below provides a breakdown on the number of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in State-provided accommodation by month from January 2023 to May 2024, inclusive. The highest reported figure was in November 2023. The figures do not include those availing of the Offer a Home or pledged accommodation schemes, or those who may have made private arrangements whose hosts are supported by the Accommodation Recognition Payment.
Date | Number of BOTPs in DCEDIY supported accommodation on last day of the month |
---|---|
31/01/2023 | 49624 |
28/02/2023 | 51231 |
31/03/2023 | 53286 |
30/04/2023 | 53379 |
31/05/2023 | 54655 |
30/06/2023 | 55817 |
31/07/2023 | 57473 |
31/08/2023 | 56777 |
30/09/2023 | 58744 |
31/10/2023 | 59581 |
30/11/2023 | 58297 |
31/12/2023 | 58605 |
31/01/2024 | 58392 |
29/02/2024 | 55111 |
31/03/2024 | 51783 |
30/04/2024 | 47755 |
31/05/2024 | 45330 |
My Department regularly publishes information at County and Local Authority level on the gov.ie website (gov.ie - Accommodation of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) (www.gov.ie)).
The Deputy may also be interested in the CSO series “Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland” (www.cso.ie/en/statistics/population/arrivalsfromukraineinireland/).
In relation to International Protection (IPs) applicants, the table below provides a breakdown on the number of people accommodated by International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) since January 2023 to May 2024 inclusive.
As of 2nd June 2024 there were over 31,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom 7,680 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022.
Week Ending | Occupancy |
---|---|
29/01/2023 | 19635 |
26/02/2023 | 19936 |
26/03/2023 | 20304 |
30/04/2023 | 20322 |
28/05/2023 | 20910 |
25/06/2023 | 21573 |
30/07/2023 | 22478 |
27/08/2023 | 23194 |
24/09/2023 | 23983 |
29/10/2023 | 25019 |
26/11/2023 | 25823 |
31/12/2023 | 26279 |
28/01/2024 | 26823 |
25/02/2024 | 27696 |
31/03/2024 | 28478 |
28/04/2024 | 29456 |
26/05/2024 | 30757 |
Further breakdowns of the information gathered, are available at:
gov.ie - IPAS Statistics (www.gov.ie)
gov.ie - Accommodation of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) (www.gov.ie)
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