Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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585. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount spent by immigration services and his Department on the transfer of International Protection Applicants in the first nine months of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56806/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Deputy's question to refer to costs paid by IPAS for taxi services for residents.

The State is legally obliged to offer accommodation and basic supports to people applying for international protection.

Over 32,500 people are currently resident in over 316 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres nationwide.

The cost of accommodating a person in an IPAS centre includes a range of elements, including accommodation, food, security, staffing, and ancillary costs like security, insurance and utilities and transport costs.

While overall resident numbers have been relatively steady since the end of 2024, the IPAS system is complex and dynamic, with individual or groups of residents arriving, leaving and moving to different centres each week, for a range of reasons.

Transport is required as part of some resident moves, and also can be provided for specific urgent needs, e.g. travel to urgent medical care appointments where public transport is not practicable.

IPAS centres are located in all parts of the country. In some cases, a taxi journey for a smaller group of people may be the most economical option, or may be required when short notice or out of hours transfer is needed.

Taxi costs in 2024 were €906,222. Costs in 2025 have reduced year on year, with €228,107 spent on taxis from 1 January 2025 to 1 June 2025.

Direct costs paid by accommodation centre management are not included in these figures.

In relation to service providers contracted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide accommodation and related services to International Protection applicants, the Department publishes reports on all payments over €20,000.

These are published, once per quarter, on gov.ie here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/dfdadb-department-of-children-and-youth-affairs-purchase-orders-for-20000-o/