Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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555. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of families and the number of children with status, per county who have been issued with letters informing them that they will be moved to alternative IPAS accommodation if they have not sourced private accommodation by 4 July 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35360/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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IPAS is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 residents who have applied for international protection, as provided for in Irish and EU law.

Of those accommodated, approximately 5,300 people have completed the process and have received a positive decision. This means they have a legal status that allows them to remain in Ireland, to work, and to access the full range of housing supports available to all Irish residents.

These housing supports are not available to people who are still going through the international protection application process.

When people get a positive decision on their international protection application, they are informed that this means they are no longer entitled to IPAS accommodation.

The Department is very mindful of the challenges that exist for people in trying to move on from IPAS accommodation. To assist in this, IPAS has a team that works in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Local Authorities.

In the past 18 months, over 7,000 people with status have left IPAS accommodation and progressed into the community.

During the coming months, IPAS will be progressing moves for approximately 650 families with status from IPAS accommodation.

The families being moved have had their status to remain for more than 12 months and were first informed about the planned moves a year ago. IPAS also sent them a follow up letter in March 2025. Everyone who has been notified will be moved, except in very rare circumstances where someone cannot be moved for medical reasons.

IPAS gives people significant notice, and progressed moves during Summer months in order to allow families time to plan and to avoid moving children during the school year.

People in this group will be supported to move into the community or, if necessary, they will be offered alternative emergency accommodation by IPAS.

The first moves will take place on 4 July and they will continue on a phased basis throughout the summer. More detail on the numbers of people to be moved in each county is provided below.

It is essential that IPAS maintains enough accommodation to meet the needs of new applicants, who have a legal entitlement to IPAS accommodation, do not have immediate access to the labour market, and do not have access to standard housing benefits or standard social welfare entitlements.

Families with Status to be offered transfer from July 2025