Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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431. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current number of residents in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres in Mayo; the number who have received status and require transition to community housing or other alternative types of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67934/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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432. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the details of any agreements or arrangements in place with Mayo County Council which identifies residents granted status in IPAS centres and left in emergency accommodation due to the shortage of social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67935/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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433. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of IPAS residents in Mayo which are expected to move onto the local social housing waiting list in 2025–2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67936/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 432 and 433 together.

The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in nearly 320 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country, over 9,500 of whom are children.

Currently, there are almost 5,000 people in IPAS accommodation nationwide that have a legal status allowing them to remain in Ireland. This is not a static number of people; approximately 11,000 people with status have moved out of IPAS accommodation since 2022, and over 3,800 this year to date.

As at the end of October there are 1,585 people residing in IPAS accommodation in Mayo, of whom 398 have been granted a form of status.

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 to 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.