Written answers

Wednesday, 17 September 2025

Department of Justice and Equality

International Protection

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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903. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of large-scale accommodation contracts currently in place in Wicklow for Ukrainian accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48494/25]

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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904. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of contracts, to date, in Wicklow for large-scale Ukrainian accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48495/25]

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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905. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the duration of contracts for large scale Ukrainian accommodation in Wicklow; when these began and will cease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48496/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 903, 904 and 905 together.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (DJHAM) continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This supports Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to make longer term independent arrangements if they decide to remain in Ireland for the duration of the Temporary Protection Directive.

All accommodation contracted by this Department is temporary in nature and subject to change, and BOTPs are advised of this when requesting access to temporary accommodation.

My Department currently has contracts with 15 properties in Co. Wicklow for the purpose of State-supported accommodation for BOTPs affected by the war in Ukraine. These 15 properties range from 16 beds to 375 beds and collectively accommodate approximately 1,200 BOTPs. These contracts commenced between January and September of this year, and are due to end between October 2025 and February 2026.

My Department currently has no plans to terminate these contracts. However as with all BOTP accommodation contracts, this is subject to regular review. My Department is in the process of renewing relevant contracts where appropriate, issuing mainly short term contracts of 3-6 months duration.

Where contracts between my Department and accommodation providers for those fleeing the war in Ukraine come to an end, the future use of the property is a commercial decision for the provider.

The table below outlines the cost of contracts, which have been paid to date for providing accommodation to Ukrainian BOTPs in Co. Wicklow. The totals may not include all properties that were used for BOTP accommodation in Co. Wicklow as prior to 2024 payments were made manually and the information related to the county in which a property is located was not always recorded.

- 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total
Total €8,228,765.74 €19,865,938.92 €19,986,478.90 €10,885,457.00 €58,966,640.56

I should also point out that Wicklow County Council, along with many other local authorities, arranged emergency short term accommodation for BOTPs in support of the Government's response. The local authorities were assured in 2022 that they could recoup their costs incurred in making such arrangements. The total recoupments paid by my Department to Wicklow County Council for each year are set out below.

- 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total
Wicklow County Council €560,395.90 €1,070,872.06 €2,062,676.00 €497,711.42 €4,191,655.38

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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906. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Emergency Refurbishment Programme was used to convert buildings for Ukrainian accommodation; the breakdown of costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48497/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This supports Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to make longer term independent arrangements if they decide to remain in Ireland for the duration of the Temporary Protection Directive.

All of the accommodation projects under the Refurbishment Programme for accommodation for persons fleeing the war in Ukraine have now been completed and the programme has concluded.

The Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme (ERUP), led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH); the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA); and the local authorities, has delivered 3,320 temporary accommodation beds.

Prior to the Transfer of Functions in May 2025, responsibility for Ukraine Accommodation lay with the Department of Integration (DCEDIY). This has since transferred to my Department. From DCEDIY overseen refurbishment projects, an additional 1,539 beds were delivered, giving a total of 4,859 beds in 84 properties delivered under the Refurbishment Programme.

The vast majority of the refurbished properties are privately-owned, and therefore the refurbishment costs were borne by the owners through private funding. The refurbishment of State-owned property was financed by the relevant Local Authority and the DHLGH.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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907. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether his Department promoted the offer a home scheme in Wicklow for Ukrainian accommodation; the number of properties used or currently being used; the cost to date in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48498/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection are entitled to make their own private arrangements including potentially availing of pledged accommodation if they wish, subject to availability, and can avail of some supports to do so. Those wishing to avail of pledged accommodation in any given area can contact the Local Authority in that area. Details regarding the Offer a Home scheme can be found under www.offerahome.ie. Alternatively, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection can avail of the Irish Red Cross pledge process. The Irish Red Cross can be contacted by email atregisterofpledges@redcross.ie or by phoning 1800 50 70 70.

As of 8 September 2025, nationwide there is a total of 3,434 properties allocated and the total number of property offers recorded is 6,097, under the Offer a Home scheme.

The information regarding expenditure to date in County Wicklow is not recorded as part of standard reporting from the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). However, we can provide a breakdown of offers, allocated properties and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection accommodated by Wicklow County Council. The figures are as follows:

Offers Allocated Properties Beneficiaries Accommodated
85 52 131

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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908. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there are discussions in relation to a former convent in a location (details supplied) to be used as an IPAS centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48499/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Department has not received an offer of accommodation at this location and is not currently examining this property for use as international protection accommodation.

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