Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

667. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total spent by his Department on accommodation for international protection applicants in each of the past five years; the average cost per night of accommodating an international protection applicant in private accommodation and State-owned accommodation in each of the past five years; the highest rate and lowest rate paid per night for accommodating an international protection applicant in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37748/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Providing reception conditions to people seeking international protection is part of Irish and EU law.

Ireland has seen a sharp increase in the number of people applying for international protection since 2022 and our Department provides accommodation for almost 33,000 international protection applicants today, in over 320 centres located all over the country.

Please see, in tabular format, the total spend on IPAS accommodation in commercial and State-owned accommodation since 2019. Please note the 2024 figure is provisional pending completion of the 2024 Appropriation Accounts.

The costs outlined below pertain to accommodation for IP applicants, including transport, facilities management, utilities and other related costs.

As previously advised, in circumstances where the Department is actively negotiating contracts for international protection, the matter of the current average per night rate, and the lowest and highest per night rate is considered commercially sensitive, and not in the public interest to disclose.

This is to allow my Department to maintain its negotiating position and attain value in the contracting and contract renewal process.

The average cost of accommodating a person in international protection accommodation centres, including State-owned and commercial accommodation from 2020 to 2024 is set out in the table below. This includes all accommodation and ancillary costs such as facilities management and other related expenditure.

The average cost per night fluctuates due to changes in the number of residents and accommodation centres.

In the table below, an average cost figure per resident per night has been provided for each year by a “point-in-time” average. This is calculated by the total cost in each year, divided by the total number of residents at 31st December in each year, and is indicative only.

All IPAS Accommodation - Average Cost 2020 to 2024

In addition to this information, while detailed contractual arrangements for IPAS centres are confidential and commercially sensitive, quarterly reports on all payments over €20,000 are available online at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/dfdadb-department-of-children-and-youth-affairs-purchase-orders-for-20000-o/

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

668. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of staff in the International Protection Office and International Protection Appeals Tribunal; if his Department has any plans to increase the number of staff in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37749/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

669. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of increasing the number of staff in the International Protection Office and International Protection Appeals Tribunal by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37750/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together.

It is a central priority for me that our international protection and immigration systems are robust and effective for all stakeholders.

As the Deputy will be aware, there has been significant investment in staff across the entire international protection process in recent years.

The IPO now has 614 staff, an increase of 190% since 2022. In addition, 241 case processing panel members are currently contracted by the IPO.

There has also been a substantial increase in resourcing for the IPAT through both its budget and staffing. This has been particularly evident in the past two years with the number of administrative staff at the Tribunal increasing from 37 at the start of 2023 to 87 today. The Tribunal's budget has also increased by 95% since 2023.

My Department, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service, has also been actively recruiting for additional whole-time and part-time Tribunal Members over the last two years, with three such open competitions having been held in 2024. In that regard, I can advise the Deputy that I have appointed a further 36 part-time Tribunal Members in the last three weeks.

Those new Members will greatly enhance the Tribunal’s decision-making capacity going forward. I am advised that a similar number of qualified candidates are currently undergoing appointment pre-clearance so, I would expect to have those additional part-time Tribunal Members appointed in the coming months.

The additional 36 Tribunal Members I recently appointed brings the number of part-time Tribunal Members to 118.

An increase of 10% of the current staffing for the IPO and IPAT would cost in the region of €3.7m per annum.