Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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22. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he agrees with the Taoiseach that immigration is causing the homelessness crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39151/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland has a legal obligation to meet the temporary accommodation needs of people newly arrived in Ireland seeking international protection and International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres are established for this specific purpose.

I support and I will always defend that process because it is important that people who are fleeing war and conflict have the ability to find safety in Ireland or in any other country.

Currently, there are over 32,000 people accommodated in IPAS provided accommodation. My Department has increased IPAS capacity by more than 400% since 2020, from just under 7,000 people on 31 December 2020.

It is important to clarify that a person seeking international protection in Ireland has no right to claim housing supports, and has no right to access homelessness accommodation.

Furthermore, as part of a whole of Government approach, my Department's International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) endeavours to minimise any impact on the private rental or housing markets in conducting its operations. The majority of accommodation offers to the Department come from alternative sources outside of the private rental or housing sector.

Of the 32,000 people in IPAS accommodation nationwide, approximately 5,200 are people with status. People with status or permission to remain have completed their international protection application and are no longer entitled to IPAS-provided accommodation.

However, acknowledging the shortages of private accommodation in the community, IPAS continues to accommodate people with status in emergency accommodation, until such time that they can move into the community. IPAS also works with local authorities to help avoid residents leaving IPAS centres and directly entering into emergency homeless accommodation.

Since the beginning of 2024 over 3,500 people with status or permission to remain have left IPAS accommodation and moved into the community. IPAS teams, supported by 32 integration support workers from partner organisations, work with residents to support them in sourcing accommodation and moving forward into the community.

People with status have the same housing entitlements as the wider community, and are supported to register with a Local Authority and, if required, to avail of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to secure alternative accommodation. In addition, people with status can access standard social welfare entitlements.