Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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655. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria and processes being used to assess the suitability of the former St. Mary’s Secondary School in Ballina for use as an IPAS centre. [15595/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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656. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the involvement local community groups, residents, local politicians and Mayo Deputies have in relation to the suitability assessment for the former St. Mary's Secondary School in Ballina. [15596/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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657. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the projected capacity of the former St. Mary’s Secondary School to accommodate international protection applicants. [15597/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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659. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an impact assessment has been conducted to evaluate the effects of establishing an IPAS centre in the Ballina area of County Mayo; and if the findings will be published. [15599/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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660. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline any agreements or contractual arrangements made with a developer (details supplied) for the redevelopment and operation of the property as temporary accommodation for international protection applicants. [15600/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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663. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how his Department is coordinating with Mayo County Council and other relevant authorities to ensure the property meets all necessary standards and regulations for its proposed use. [15603/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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664. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a timeline for the decision-making process; and if approved, the expected timeline for the opening of the centre. [15604/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 655, 656, 657, 659, 660, 663 and 664 together.

Thank you for your question, Deputy. A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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658. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will remove the planning circumvention available to IPAS centres to ensure greater transparency and communication engagement. [15598/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you for your question, Deputy.

Planning regulations, whatever their purpose, are the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage.

For background information that may be of use to the Deputy, my Department's International Protection and Integration Division is responsible for sourcing and providing accommodation for people applying for International Protection (IP) in Ireland. Demand for accommodation has grown exponentially with a 400% increase in beds provided since mid-2021.

The legal basis for accommodating IP applicants is the Reception Conditions Regulations, which set out the accommodation and other conditions for IP applicants while their claim for international protection is being assessed. The EU Migration Pact, which Ireland opted into in July 2024, will set out the future legal framework in due course.

IP accommodation is provided in a wide range of centres and locations. Currently, most of our accommodation is provided by commercial providers contracted directly by the State. There are over 320 accommodation centres all over Ireland.

The commitment to continue and extend the use of State lands and development of a State-owned portfolio of properties was set out in the Programme for Government 2025.

Since March 2024, a Government strategy for international protection accommodation has been in implementation. Accommodation is being developed and delivered through a range of channels.

A multi-strand approach focuses on both increasing State-owned permanent capacity, and upgrading additional contingency accommodation, developed to specific national standards. This aims to build an effective system that can meet the new realities of increasing need and the upcoming implementation needs of the Migration Pact in 2026.

Because this will take time and our system is demand-led, commissioning emergency commercial accommodation will continue to feature in the short to medium term. This accommodation will be contracted on shorter-term basis and if application numbers drop, can be decommissioned as contracts expire. It is planned that as new State-owned and permanent commercial accommodation comes on stream the use of this emergency accommodation will reduce.

Once sufficient State-owned accommodation has been delivered over the coming years, and emergency accommodation reduced substantially, the Government may, at that point, seek to reduce further the proportion of remaining permanent accommodation delivered by commercial providers and move to a fully or predominately State-owned system.

The degree of control given to the State by the creation of core supply of State-owned accommodation, of both emergency and permanent options, will increase as supply is delivered, re-establishing strategic direction over the accommodation type, location and dispersal pattern.

I trust this information is helpful.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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661. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to list the total number of IPAS centres in Mayo. [15601/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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662. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the list of other properties in Mayo that are under consideration or offer to his Department for the provision of asylum accommodation. [15602/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 662 together.

Since 2024, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) has not published details of the specific locations of our accommodation centres. This is due to both safety and security concerns, and to protect the privacy of international protection applicants in line with my and my officials' duties under the International Protection Act 2015.

The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) releases weekly statistics in relation to international protection (IP) applicants. This includes a per county breakdown of where IP applicants are residing and a wide range of other details. These statistics are located on the Gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/07027-ipas-statistics/.

In terms of properties from whom my Department has received an offer of accommodation, offers are received on a regular basis, and are subject to detailed appraisal, whose criteria I outline below. Many properties are not accepted for a variety of reasons. These offers are processed by my Department's International Protection Procurement service, and as they are part of a commercial process, it is not appropriate to share details before an offer is appraised or considered suitable.

The contracting of properties as emergency centres is partly dependent on the receipt of offers from external providers, and the Department cannot predetermine their geographical location.

In meeting our obligation to provide material reception conditions to people seeking international protection, the Department can consider offers of accommodation from a tax-compliant company, subject to compliance with statutory requirements and minimum standards.

Once an offer is received with respect to accommodation for international protection applicants, it is assessed for suitability. This includes a range of factors such as previous use of the property, accommodation suitability, rates, room sizes, capacity and amenities, information on the building's safety and fitness for occupancy, and various other criteria such as Wi-Fi, security provision and staffing.

The Department carries out due diligence on accommodation being contracted including checks via the Companies Registration Office to ensure compliance with Companies Registration Office (CRO) requirements and tax compliance checks by way of a valid Tax Clearance Certificate.

Furthermore, all statutory requirements relating to the establishment and management of accommodation are met by the service provider, including health and safety, fire, building regulations and other requirements.

Should the Department receive an offer of accommodation for international protection which is deemed suitable, the Community Engagement Team (CET) will provide detailed information in direct engagements with elected representatives in advance of it coming into use.

I trust this information is helpful.