Jen Cummins
Question:744. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the supports that are in place for people who have left the IPAS system and now find themselves homeless. [5958/26]
View answerTuesday, 27 January 2026
Questions (744)
Written answers
Under Irish and EU law, people applying for international protection are entitled to basic supports, including IPAS accommodation, for the duration of their application.
The IPAS system is accommodating over 33,000 people at this time, and over 9,700 are children. About 5,000 of these residents are people who have completed their asylum application and have been granted status to remain in Ireland.
The IPAS system has operated under extreme pressure and ongoing shortages of suitable accommodation since 2022, due to sudden and sustained increases in applications.
People may have left the IPAS accommodation system, and may find themselves homeless as outlined in the question, in different categories or circumstances with supports available based on their status and eligibility.
If a person is a current applicant for international protection, they do not have access to standard housing or social welfare benefits in Ireland.
If a person has completed their application and has been granted status to remain in Ireland, they do have access to social welfare and to housing services.
Most people who apply for international protection take up the offer of IPAS accommodation, but this is not mandatory and some may choose to source accommodation separately. If a person who is a current applicant for international protection, and staying outside the IPAS system, were to become homeless, they do not have access to standard housing services, including local authority emergency homeless accommodation. As such, they can make contact with IPAS and enquire about gaining access to accommodation if it is available.
Due to shortages of single male accommodation capacity, IPAS is not able to make an offer of accommodation to all single male applicants on arrival. People not offered accommodation are given an additional weekly payment. Most people in this group are not rough-sleeping but IPAS organises daily outreach for those who are, and makes offers of accommodation to them. At the moment, 453 people are awaiting an offer of accommodation from IPAS and will continue to do this, depending on availability of accommodation.
People in this group, as international protection applicants, cannot access standard social welfare or housing services, including local authority emergency accommodation.
People who have been granted international protection or status that allows them to remain in Ireland also gain access to social welfare and housing services. However, some people in this group remain in IPAS accommodation for a time, often due to challenges sourcing accommodation in the community. About 15% of IPAS accommodation relates to people and families with status.
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.
IPAS has a transition team who work in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Authorities and the City and County Managers Association to collectively support residents with status, or a permission to remain, to exit IPAS accommodation and access housing options.
IPAS will continue to provide emergency accommodation to people with status, if they cannot find accommodation in the community with these supports. About 4,000 people with status successfully transitioned out of IPAS accommodation in 2025.
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.
Question No. 745 answered with Question No. 742.
Question No. 746 answered with Question No. 742.