Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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474. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to his statement at the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on 23 September 2025, in which he affirmed that IPAS contracts will not be awarded to applicants with convictions for fraud or serious crimes, and that contracts require tax compliance, solvency, and adherence to public service contract standards, if he will clarify whether these criteria apply solely to the applying company, or whether they also extend to the company's directors and shareholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53911/25]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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475. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality in view of his assertion that a tax clearance certificate is a prerequisite for IPAS contracts, if he will confirm whether tax compliance is assessed only for the applying company, or whether it includes all companies under the directorship of the applicant; if the latter, the mechanisms in place to verify the full directorship history of an applicant, particularly in cases where multiple versions of name spelling, date of birth, or address are used on the Companies Registration Office; if such cross-checking is not currently undertaken, if he consideration will be given to strengthening due diligence protocols to prevent circumvention of public service contract standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53912/25]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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476. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to his statement at the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on 23 September 2025 that applicants with fraud convictions will not receive IPAS contracts, if he will confirm whether this exclusion applies to convictions in jurisdictions outside Ireland; if Garda vetting and international police clearance checks are conducted as part of his Department's due diligence process; if not, the means by which his Department verify the criminal history of applicants; if his Department rely on third-party reports or media investigations; if a felony conviction and lifetime ban from a financial regulator in another jurisdiction is sufficient grounds to deny an IPAS contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53913/25]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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477. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality in view of his statement that IPAS contracts require the provider to be solvent, if he will outline his Department's policy on continuing IPAS contracts at properties subject to liquidation proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53915/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 474 to 477, inclusive, together.

In the 2022 to 2024 period, the State had to move at pace to source accommodation during an intense surge of arrivals seeking international protection. During this period, over 45,000 additional international protection applicants arrived in Ireland. Prior to this, a typical 3-year period would have seen close to 8,000 or 9,000 arrivals. At the same time, over 114,000 people fleeing war in Ukraine arrived to Ireland.

The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 residents in 319 international protection accommodation centres around the country.

The Department receives offers of international protection accommodation on an ongoing basis from external commercial providers. All offers are reviewed by the Department under a standardised appraisal procedure.

A dedicated team appraises each offer to accommodate people seeking international protection.

When appraising an offer, the Department requests detailed information to facilitate an objective assessment of the premises. This includes, but is not limited to, information on the building's safety and fitness for occupancy, catering provision and room sizes, recreational and lounge facilities, security provision and staffing.

The Department carries out due diligence on the provider who is offering the accommodation service.

This includes checks on the provider offering the service to the Department via the Companies Registration Office (CRO) to ensure compliance with CRO requirements. The Department does not carry out checks on shareholders of providers, or on other companies who are not making an offer of accommodation to the Department.

Providers must be registered in Ireland. Providers may be part of wider commercial groups and may also be operating in other EU member states, in line with EU principles of free movement of goods, services, and works.

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a statutory basis for the vetting of persons carrying out relevant work with children or vulnerable persons. Garda vetting is not a feature of the property appraisal process, but is completed by IPAS to ensure staff working in centres providing services to children are vetted in accordance with regulations.

Since 2024, each new or renewing provider of accommodation services must provide a declaration of their personal circumstances. This declaration, which must be notarised, confirms that they are tax compliant, free of any convictions for corruption, fraud or being a member of a criminal organisation. It also confirms that they are solvent and have no history of failing to meet terms of public service contracts, among other requirements.

Each provider's tax compliance is checked by way of a valid Tax Clearance Certificate, which is required at each payment.

There is full transparency from the Department in terms of providers receiving payments, with details of all payments over €20,000 and the recipients published quarterly at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/collections/department-of-justice-purchase-orders-issued-over-20000-in-value/

All expenditure relating to this service is subject to review by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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478. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to his statement at the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on 23 September 2025 that 5,000 individuals in IPAS accommodation have been granted status to remain, and acknowledging the challenges of relocating these individuals amid a national housing crisis, if he will grant a temporary stay on relocating new residents to a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53916/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in 319 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country, over 9,500 of whom are children.

At the moment, approximately 5,000 people in IPAS accommodation have a legal status allowing them to remain in Ireland. This is not a static number of people; approximately 10,000 people with status have moved out of IPAS accommodation since 2022, and just over 3,000 this year to date.

When a person completes their international protection application and receives a positive decision, they have a legal status that allows them to remain in Ireland. This also means they gain access to the full range of housing supports available to all Irish residents, which are not available to people going through the application process.

There is a need for people with status to transition living independently in our communities, improving their integration into our society while also creating space within IPAS accommodation for newer arrivals.

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.

To help people move from IPAS accommodation to find housing options in the community, 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.

Single people and couples are offered transfer to alternative emergency IPAS accommodation once they have status over six months. In March 2025, 600 families with status over one year were written to, and offered transfer to alternative emergency IPAS accommodation.

While the Department does not comment on individual cases, when making decisions on potential transfers within the IPAS accommodation system, the Department has to make use of the limited capacity available in the best way possible. The accommodation system is very dynamic, with people and families moving into and out of centres each week.

In relation to the property mentioned, the Department commenced a new contract at this property earlier this year and the centre continues to provide accommodation to families seeking international protection in Ireland.

This and all centres with available beds will continue to be considered for resident moves and arrivals.