Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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528. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) persons living in County Tipperary at the end of September 2024, given that the county is currently considered at capacity for such persons and as County Tipperary has already significantly contributed to accommodating IPAS persons; if he can confirm that no further new contracts or additional new allocations for IPAS persons accommodation will be made in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40941/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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At the moment, there are over 32,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole compared with approximately 7,000 people at the end of August 2022. Of those 32,000 people, approximately 9,000 are children.

People are accommodated at over 300 locations, in every county. As at 29 September 2024, there are 753 International Protection applicants residing in properties in County Tipperary.

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/.

The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking IP in Ireland and work is ongoing across the country to bring available accommodation into use to support our residents. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home country.

Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country, and intensive efforts are underway to source suitable accommodation, in line with the Government's Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy. Despite this, since last December 2023, over 2,700 people who have applied for international protection since December 2023 have not been offered accommodation.

Due to the urgent obligation to provide safety and shelter to international protection applicants, the Department is not in a position to refuse offers of suitable accommodation, nor are we able to consider excluding offers of accommodation from any one county or area.

The Government's Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (CAS) for people seeking IP aims to address the current serious shortfall in accommodation and build a more sustainable system for the longer term. Accommodation in the new strategy is being delivered through the use of State land for prefabricated and modular units, conversion of commercial buildings, and targeted purchasing of turnkey properties.

It will also involve design and build of new Reception and Integration Centres and upgrading of IPAS Centres. This will be supplemented, as required, by high standard commercial providers.

In line with the Department’s community engagement approach, our Community Engagement Team send information on new properties and type of accommodation to be provided directly to elected representatives, the Local Authority and other relevant groups in advance of the arrival of people seeking international protection into an area. The CET aims to work with local integration supports and services to assist the settling in process for new arrivals.