Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Section 5 planning applications that were submitted; the number that were granted to applicants for town centre IPAS or Ukrainian accommodation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24749/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I regret that statistics in respect of numbers of buildings applying for or availing of planning exemptions for use as international protection or Ukraine accommodation are not collated by my Department.

Oversight of planning matters is a function of Local Authorities, to whom such applications would be made.

I am happy to provide background information on the accommodation systems for international protection and the State's Ukraine response.

International Protection Accommodation

From 2022 to 2024, there was a sudden and sustained increase in numbers of people applying for international protection in Ireland, and in other EU Member States.

This increase happened at the same time as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the EU Temporary Protection Directive, which saw over 114,000 people from Ukraine come to live in Ireland. Amid a basic shortage of accommodation across society, these changes placed profound and sustained pressure on the State's work to source viable accommodation for new arrivals over the last two years.

There was a huge focus on developing accommodation solutions during this period, including procuring emergency commercial accommodation to meet immediate need.

Class 20F of S.I. No. 605 of 2022 permits the change of use of the following structures for the purpose of providing the necessary facilities for international protection applicants: “school, college, university, training centre, social centre, community centre, non-residential club, art gallery, museum, library, reading room, sports club or stadium, gymnasium, hotel, convention centre, conference centre, shop, office, Defence Forces barracks, light industrial building, airport operational building, wholesale warehouse or repository, local authority administrative office, play centre, medical and other health and social care accommodation, event and exhibition space or any structure or part of structure normally used for public worship or religious instruction.”

The conditions of this exemption can be located here: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2022/si/605/made/en/print.

Section 14 h of S.I. No. 582/2015 - The Planning and Development Act may also be utilised by providers of accommodation for international protection applicants.

S.I. No. 582/2015 - Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations ()

In sourcing additional capacity for international protection applicants, the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) has brought over 270 new emergency accommodation centres into use since 2022.

The Government’s Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy is being implemented, working to build a sustainable system and develop more State-owned accommodation. This will reduce the reliance on commercial emergency accommodation over time.

Ukraine accommodation:

Due to the sudden and unprecedented numbers of new arrivals in the State over a short period of time, the Government, of necessity, had to use a range of accommodation sources to facilitate displaced Ukrainians since 2022. Accommodation was sourced through:

Contracting with commercial accommodation providers for rooms in hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, hostels and apartments, disused nursing homes, holiday homes, religious properties, repurposed and student accommodation.

S.I. No. 306/2022 - European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons From Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 relate to the non- application of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to certain classes of development by or on behalf of the Minister (in this instance) to provide immediate protection in EU countries for persons displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the need to provide emergency accommodation and support to these displaced persons.

The effect of the Regulations are that the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 do not apply to specified classes of temporary development for so long as the regulations are in force. The specified classes are as follows:

1. Reception and integration facilities.
2. Residential accommodation, including ancillary recreational and sporting facilities.
3. Medical and other health and social care accommodation.
4. Education and childcare facilities, including ancillary recreational and sporting facilities.
5. Emergency management coordination facilities.
6. Structures or facilities ancillary to development referred to in paragraphs 1 to 5, including administration and storage facilities.
7. Infrastructure and other works ancillary to development referred to in paragraphs 1 to 6.