Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

International Protection

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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1132. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will take urgent action in relation to the international protection applicants temporarily housed in City West, who received emails stating they must vacate the centre by 10 a.m. on 4 December, 2024; if he will instruct IPAS to revoke its decision in order that these men are either kept in City West or immediately transferred to alternative accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46183/24]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Department’s cold weather response plan came into effect on Friday 15 November 2024, amid significant adverse weather conditions forecast.

This response plan focuses on international protection applicants who are in our tented accommodation sites, and applicants who are unaccommodated. This plan is also active this week, as we see further cold weather and extremely low temperatures nationwide.

At this time, there are approximately 3,100 people who are international protection applicants who have not been offered accommodation. This is because, since the end of 2023, IPAS has not had enough accommodation to offer spaces to all applicants.

Any international protection applicants who are unaccommodated and who are rough-sleeping are the main focus of the IPAS cold weather response plan.

  • IPAS teams arrange offers of accommodation to people seeking international protection who are actively rough sleeping. People are identified to IPAS through awareness and a daily outreach referral process that IPAS has in place.
  • Drop-in day services are also provided for unaccommodated people who wish to avail of them. In such centres, people seeking international protection can access facilities including hot showers, meals and laundry services seven days a week.
  • In addition to the steps above, where possible, temporary shelter is also offered to new applicants arriving during the weather warning period.
Our teams continue to manage a very limited supply of accommodation. The Department regrets that such offers to new applicants during extreme weather are temporary, but this is because of the profound shortage of capacity, and because IPAS must keep available spaces for the most vulnerable applicants, and for women and families.

Due to the current cold weather warnings, we have reactivated our cold weather response plan to enhance safety measures for people seeking international protection. Our teams are keeping the needs of applicants and residents under ongoing review and are in regular contact with the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.

My Department also continues to develop and source accommodation for international protection applicants in locations all over the country, as part of implementing the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection.

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