Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the changes she proposes to the staffing, management and control of the International Protection Office and the site around it in order to ensure that large groups of international protection applicants are not congregating unmanaged on the streets outside and around the building, both during its opening hours, and after it closes at 2.30 pm; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39795/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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356. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the changes to international protection processing operations she proposes in order to end the cycle of illegal tent encampments on the streets, parks and canal banks in the vicinity of the Internal Protection Office on Lower Mount Street by international protection applicants that the office is bringing to the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39796/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the changes to international protection processing operations she proposes in order to allow for the safe removal of the barricades on Lower Mount Street and elsewhere in the area that have had to be erected in the wake of the shanty town and subsequent tent encampments being established in the vicinity of the International Protection Office by international protection applicants that the office is bringing to the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39797/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 355, 356 and 357 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this year, a Government strategy was put in place to address the presence of tents and rough sleeping in the vicinity of the International Protection Office (IPO) in Mount Street.

As part of this strategy, a joint operation involving the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; my Department; An Garda Síochána; Dublin City Council; the Office of Public Works; and the HSE took place on the 1st May 2024.

This exercise successfully ensured the safe movement of international protection applicants from tents on Mount Street to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation.

A similar approach has since been applied to other city centre locations where similar situations have arisen.

As part of the response in May, Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works secured the area around Mount Street where tents had previously been placed, with street furniture and traffic management measures.

The International Protection Office continues to liaise on an ongoing basis with the Garda authorities and with Dublin City Council in relation to the office in Mount Street and its environs.

More broadly, the situation in relation to accommodation remains extremely challenging, and the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is endeavouring to respond to the increase in the number of persons applying for protection and who are seeking accommodation. My Department liaises with them in this work through exchange of information.

I can also advise the Deputy that I have significantly reduced my Department’s reliance on the IPO office in Mount Street by opening a second processing centre to register families accompanied by children at the Citywest complex. Since this processing site was opened last April, approximately 43% of all new applications for International Protection have been made there. This has significantly reduced the number of applications that may otherwise have been made at the Mount Street location.

My Department has significantly increased investment into the international protection system. Measures have been implemented to improve efficiencies and throughput while also enhancing the application, interview, and decision-making process for applicants.

One of the priority areas of focus has been to recruit both civil servants and panel members to increase case processing. The IPO now has 545 staff, an increase of 157% over 2022. In addition, there are currently 208 Panel Members contracted by the IPO, an increase of 124% over 2022 figures.

Budget 2025 has provided a €25m package for end-to-end investment in the immigration system including Service Delivery, International Protection Office, International Protection Appeals Tribunal and the Legal Aid Board. €2m is provided for ICT capital expenditure.

These significant additional resources will be directed to streamline the end-to end international protection process, with approximately 400 further staff to be recruited for roles across this process. This will support reaching key targets, including making the IPO making 25,000 decisions in 2025 compared to over 14,000 cases in 2024.