Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures he is taking to reduce the spend on IPAS accommodation made to private landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52992/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has at all times endeavoured to provide accommodation and other basic supports to people seeking international protection as required by law.

The majority of International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) commercial emergency accommodation has been commissioned as part of the emergency response to increased demand since 2022.

Over 45,000 people arrived and applied for international protection during 2022, 2023 and 2024, almost matching the total number of applications made during the previous 16 years (44,000). This coincided with the invasion of Ukraine, and the arrival of over 120,000 people to Ireland fleeing that conflict.

In terms of international protection applicants, significant reform is underway to speed up the processing system, and reduce the demand for accommodation. That includes moving away consistently, over time, from the emergency use of commercial accommodation and putting in place more facilities on State-owned sites.

A range of changes are underway to achieve this. IPAS is reviewing contracts and driving improvements in standards, governance and compliance. The introduction of a new rate card model is driving costs down for new and renewed contracts, already saving over €52million since May 2025.

In parallel, we are developing more State-owned accommodation from a range of sources, building our ability to reduce reliance on commercial providers. As a key milestone, the State has purchased Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre, which has increased State-owned bed numbers from 900 spaces in early 2024 to over 4,000 today.