Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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656. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide the detailed expenditure and oversight by his Department on the contract for services for accommodation of persons at a centre (details supplied) for April 2025; and the expected costs for May 2025. [25298/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Reception conditions – accommodation and other basic supports – to international protection applicants is a requirement 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.The State provides international protection accommodation to over 33,000 people in 325 centres nationwide, in every county.

My Department's Community Engagement Team informed local community and elected representatives in March 2025 of the opening of a new international protection accommodation centre at the location provided by the Deputy.

A detailed briefing note was provided, as part of our routine engagement and information process, outlining that the centre would provide accommodation for up to 30 international protection applicants, and giving information about the provider and other relevant details about the centre.

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.

Detailed contractual arrangements for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres are confidential and commercially sensitive, however quarterly reports on all payments over €20,000 are available online at Gov.ie here:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/dfdadb-department-of-children-and-youth-affairs-purchase-orders-for-20000-o/

IPAS releases weekly statistics in relation to international protection applicants accommodated by IPAS. This includes a per county breakdown of where IP applicants are residing and a wide range of other details including gender and nationality.

These statistics are located on the Gov.ie website:

www.gov.ie/en/international-protection-accommodation-services-ipas/publications/facts-and-figures/

Since 2024, once a centre is in operation, IPAS has not published details of the specific locations or the capacity or occupancy 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 legal obligations under the International Protection Act 2015.Providers of IPAS accommodation who operate a self-catering model have two options for food provision: vouchers or top-up card. Vouchers or top up cards are for the purchase of food.