Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
478. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the due diligence processes his Department applies before approving an accommodation provider for IPAS contracts, including checks on ownership, financial standing, governance, and compliance history; if these procedures were followed in the case of Secure Accommodation; and the steps he is taking to strengthen approval standards for all future providers. [71123/25]
View answer479. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total payments issued by his Department to Secure Accommodation since its engagement; the financial controls in place to track contract performance and verify the delivery of services; and the measures now being implemented to protect public funds where a provider enters liquidation. [71124/25]
View answer480. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the contingency arrangements triggered when an IPAS accommodation provider ceases trading; the steps taken to maintain continuity of accommodation for residents previously housed through Secure Accommodation; and the governance standards applied to ensure uninterrupted service in similar situations. [71125/25]
View answer481. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department will review the procurement and monitoring framework used for IPAS accommodation contracts in light of the liquidation of Secure Accommodation; the compliance obligations currently required of all providers; and any planned updates to contract-award or contract-monitoring rules. [71126/25]
View answer482. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the risk-assessment tools used by his Department to identify financial or governance risks among IPAS accommodation providers; whether any concerns were identified before the voluntary liquidation of Secure Accommodation; and the steps he is taking to strengthen early-warning systems for provider-level risks. [71127/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 479, 480, 481 and 482 together.
Extensive challenges were posed to the State in sourcing international protection accommodation during an unprecedented surge in applications from 2022 to 2024.
Applications for international protection this year have reduced, and this has supported our work to put in place greater controls over the IPAS accommodation portfolio.
The Department is taking action across all aspects of the international protection accommodation system to improve value for money, strengthen governance and compliance, and renegotiate contracts with providers.
In relation to the provider in question, the Department informed the provider that the Department would terminate its contract with them on 29 October 2025, and that this would come into effect on 30 November 2025.
So far in 2025 there have been 22 terminations of contracts, and while the Department treats all contractual matters as confidential and commercially sensitive, reasons for termination would include value for money, or concerns about non-compliance.
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 online at Gov.ie here: Purchase Orders for €20,000 or above.
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/collections/department-of-children-equality-disability-integration-and-youth-purchase-orders-for-20000-or-above/
The Department continues to appraise the portfolio of existing accommodation with a view to consolidation where possible, along with better governance and compliance.
Across the system, a range of updated systems and procedures for appraisal, validation, contracting and payments have been put in place and are already having an impact.
A new rate-card pricing structure is being applied to all new or renewing contracts and has already provided savings of over €59m since May 2025.
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, and 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.
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.
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.
In relation to contracts ending, IPAS regularly engages with centres to ensure compliance with contracts and standards, with a dual eye on safety and welfare of residents, while also ensuring value for money and compliance by providers.
This work forms part of an overall reform of the International Protection system that is already working to speed up processing of applications and to reduce reliance on commercial provision in favour of more State-owned accommodation.
