Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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548. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether emergency planning powers or Ministerial discretion have been used in the past 12 months to bypass public consultation in the approval of accommodation for international protection applicants; and whether he will publish a record of such interventions. [35232/25]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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575. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide a list of S 181(2)(a) orders that have been issued with respect to accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Service for people seeking international protection and people in receipt of temporary protection; and to explain the legal purpose of these orders. [35745/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 575 together.

Under section 181(2)(a) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, in emergency circumstances, certain sections of that Act can be disallowed through the development of a Ministerial Order.

The purpose of this section is to ensure that the State, in emergency circumstances, has the power to take action to meet urgent need within public and State services.

From 2022 to the end of 2024, there was a sudden and sustained increase in numbers of people applying for International Protection (IP) in Ireland. 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.

Over 45,000 people claimed international protection from 2022 to 2024, exceeding the total number claiming in the preceding 16 years (from 2006 to 2021 - 44,000), indicating the immediacy and scale of the challenge.

Amid a basic shortage of accommodation across society, these changes placed profound and sustained pressure on the State’s responsibility to source viable accommodation for new arrivals over the last two years.

This shortage led to up to 3,500 international protection applicants being left without an offer of accommodation and at risk of homelessness.

The Government’s Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for international protection published in March 2024 set out a range of actions to address this, including the development of accommodation, including tented and modular options, on State-owned lands, to meet urgent need for shelter for vulnerable people.

Sites were identified, including at Thornton Hall in Dublin, Lissywollen in Athlone, Crooksling in Dublin and others. An existing site at Columb Barracks in Mullingar was being used for Ukraine accommodation by the State.

In 2024, Ministerial Orders were put in place under section 181(2)(a) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in respect of 4 sites: Thornton Hall, Fingal; Lissywollen, Athlone; Crooksling, Brittas; and Columb Barracks, Mullingar.

These orders were all published in Irish Oifigiúíl, and in newspapers circulating in the area of the relevant sites, as the time. The relevant Statutory Instruments are listed below.

While two of these orders have subsequently been revoked, at Thornton Hall and Crooksling, all these sites remain an important part of the implementation of the Government’s Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy and the Programme for Government. This aims to build a sustainable system and develop more State-owned international protection accommodation.

Thornton Hall:

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/si/399/made/en/print.

Thornton Hall Revocation order:

S.I. No. 617/2024 - Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181(2)(a)) Order 2024 (Revocation) Order 2024

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/si/617/made/en/print

Crooksling:

S.I. No. 481/2024 - Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181(2)(a)) (No. 3) Order 2024

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/si/481/made/en/print

Crooksling Revocation order:

S.I. No. 260/2025 - Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181(2)(a)) (No. 3) Order 2024 (Revocation) Order 2025

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2025/si/260/made/en/print

Midlands Accommodation Centre :

S.I. No. 507/2024 - Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181(2)(a)) (No.4) Order 2024

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/si/507/made/en/print

Columb Barracks:

S.I. No. 365/2024 - Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181(2)(a)) Order 2024

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/si/365/made/en/print