Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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723. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department maintains, or has commissioned, a fully-loaded marginal (incremental) cost per international protection applicant, encompassing not only IPAS accommodation and supports, but also cross-Departmental costs, processing, legal aid, healthcare, education/ETB language provision, social protection allowances, interpretation/translation, safeguarding, transport, and overheads; if so, to publish the latest estimate and methodology; if not, the plans and timelines to establish a cross-Government costing model and to coordinate inputs from the relevant Departments and agencies. [61172/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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724. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the unit processing cost per international protection case at the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT), together with median/mean end-to-end processing times and caseload volumes, by year from 2022 to date in 2025; and the cost composition (staffing, interpretation, expert reports, overheads). [61173/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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725. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the annual expenditure attributable to IP applicants within Immigration Service Delivery for 2022 to date in 2025 (registration, permissions, compliance activity), and any available per-applicant cost estimates. [61174/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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726. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the State has a single, auditable per-applicant cost for international protection that includes processing, legal aid, healthcare, education, social protection, interpretation, transport and overheads; if not, if he will commit to producing it within 2025 and publishing the methodology. [61178/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 723 to 726, inclusive, together.

I can confirm that my Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, with a strong focus on value for money, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times.

There has been significant investment across the end-to-end international protection process in the last number of years with additional staffing as well as increased financial and technical resources being made available to Immigration Service Delivery, International Protection Office, International Protection Appeals Tribunal and the Legal Aid Board. There has also been investment in ICT capital expenditure and process improvements.

My Department plays close attention to the impact of this investment and its return in terms of results and benefits. Assessing costs in this sector is, however, complex and a number of approaches can be taken in estimating the cost per case, whether by reference to the number of overall applications on hand at any point, or the number of decisions arrived at in any given year.

The most significant cost component within the International Protection system is the cost of accommodation and associated services, broadly estimated at in the region of €30,000 per person in the system per annum in 2024.

Of note is that the average cost of processing per individual case in 2024 at first instance (International Protection Office) was approximately €2,500 and €1,900 at second instance (International Protection Appeals Tribunal).

While other processing costs do arise depending on the case and its outcome, the duration of time a person spends in the process has a very significant bearing on overall cost, underscoring the value and necessity of investing in processing and thereby reducing processing time.

Given the complexities involved the Department does not estimate a marginal cost of each international protection applicant but does work with other relevant Departments to assess overall costs to the State. For illustrative purposes, as part of the preparations for the Migration Pact implementation, a modelling assessment was carried out which found an overall full cost of processing to conclusion, including enforced removal, as well as expenditure on accommodation and other state, health and education services, as well as legal costs, at being in the region of €120,000 per case. This exercise, which is undergoing further refinement as not all of these costs will be incurred in many cases, was premised on a median total case processing time of 29 months and 2024 costs.

This again emphasises the importance of reducing processing time, which is a key focus of my Department’s work, and its preparations for the Migration Pact. As the Deputy is aware, the Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU including standardised processing times for decisions: six months for a standard procedure, three months for accelerated and border procedures and two months for processing applicants who have applied for protection elsewhere in Europe.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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727. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that once IPAS centres are established that Deputies will be included in community engagement; the reason this is not standard practice at the moment (details supplied). [61183/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Engagement Team (CET) was established in late 2023 to engage directly with elected representatives, local authorities, NGOs, Community Fora, local services, An Garda Síochána and others, in advance of the opening of new IPAS accommodation centres and Ukraine accommodation.

In relation to elected representatives, both national representatives TDs and Senators, and local representatives, are all included in all CET communications in relation to a new accommodation centre in a given area.

The purpose of the Community Engagement Team is to improve the flow of information about new and existing accommodation centres into communities, to assist with integration for the people joining our communities.

The team has supported communities around the opening of over 130 centres around the country since it was set up. Extra resources were added to the CET during 2024 to extend its reach and impact.

The Department is committed to ensuring that local communities have access to accurate information and that structures are in place to plan for provision of essential and supports services, such as healthcare and education, to assist with the integration process.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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728. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied with the level of training of the IPAS staff and refugee staff employed by a company (details supplied); and to outline the standards, qualifications and employment headings under which staff are employed. [61194/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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In all IPAS accommodation centres, whether they are commercially provided or State-owned, the accommodation service provider is contractually obliged to ensure all activities at the property are within agreed standards and legal limits.

Centre management and providers are responsible for day-to-day operational arrangements on the site, including staffing, catering, health and safety, utilities, security arrangements, and other requirements.

Centres are subject to oversight arrangements through the Department's compliance team, with independent inspection and quality control through either Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) or IPAS-commissioned inspections.

IPAS has a dedicated Training Unit that develops training sessions for centres in line with general IPAS Policies and Procedures.

The IPAS Training Unit conducts overview sessions with new and existing accommodation providers both online and in person. The overview sessions include, but are not limited to:

• House Rules and Procedures
• Critical Incidents
• Suicide Awareness
• Child Protection and Welfare
• GDPR

My Department can confirm that these training sessions have been provided at the centre in question.

IPAS works in collaboration with other Government bodies, such as the HSE and Tusla, as well as NGOs and other approved service providers in the development of its training.

In addition to this training, accommodation centre staff are supported by a dedicated Centre Management and Compliance Team within IPAS. This team provides advice to accommodation centres on the implementation of IPAS policies and procedures, and also conduct unannounced site visits to ensure compliance with same.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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729. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Ukrainian refugees and the number of IPAS applicants resident at a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61195/25]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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731. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the plans he or the Government have to ameliorate the loss of facilities (details supplied); the way in which the Government proposes to invest in the locality in a substantial way that attempts to mitigate the substantial loss to the community. [61197/25]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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732. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the State purchased facilities but has not purchased a smaller hotel (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61198/25]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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736. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a contract for the management of facility for refugees and IPAS residents will expire (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61269/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 729, 731, 732 and 736 together.

The purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention centre is a key part of the Government’s strategy to develop a stable and sustainable accommodation system for people seeking international protection.

State-owned centres are part of the Government’s long-term plan to reduce the reliance on private accommodation providers resulting in better value for money of public funds and a more efficient international protection system.

The Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre has successfully supported accommodation and decision-processing by the State for a number of years, and currently provides capacity for 2,300 people, with both international protection applicants and people from Ukraine resident in the Hotel and Convention Centre.

A 12-month transitional service agreement has been put in place with the current provider to oversee the management and provision of accommodation services for both the main hotel and the convention centre. The existing workforce has been maintained under the transitional agreement. Over the coming 12 months a process to tender for a provider to run the Citywest complex will be completed.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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730. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the medical and security facilities on site at a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61196/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Department, An Garda Síochána, and a range of local partners and stakeholders have been working hard to respond to the ongoing very difficult events of recent weeks in the vicinity of Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre.

In relation to security arrangements on the site, my officials are working closely with An Garda Síochána at this time, and keeping such arrangements under careful review in order to protect all people living and working in the vicinity. It is not appropriate for the Department to disclose detailed information about security arrangements in this context.

The Health Service Executive is responsible for providing health services in all communities, including people resident in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation.

People seeking international protection access health services through mainstream HSE services, including primary care and GP services, referral to specialist services, and urgent or emergency healthcare services.

Some accommodation centres also have in-house medical services, and in the case of Citywest, the HSE has provided services on site since 2022, including health assessment, screening, vaccination and other services.

Any person applying for international protection residing in IPAS accommodation is entitled to apply for a medical card and IPAS Resident Welfare Services, along with NGO advocates, can support people to access health and social care services as needed.