Ivana Bacik
Ceist:412. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if an update will issue regarding a person (details supplied). [67702/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepartmental Correspondence
Ceisteanna (412)
Freagraí scríofa
The application from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 26 November 2025 by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department.
The person concerned should now apply to renew their Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card using the online portal, which is available at: www.inisonline.jahs.ie/user/login .
Information on the renewal process, including processing times, is available at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-renew-your-current-permission/renewing-your-registration-permission-if-you-live-in-the-republic-of-ireland/
Applicants can now directly check the status of their applications on the Immigration Service’s Customer Service Portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:
www.portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/ .
As an Oireachtas member, the Deputy can also request the status of individual immigration cases by email, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process.
Direct Provision System
Ceisteanna (413)
Barry Ward
Ceist:413. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to the campaign of an organisation (details supplied); the actions he will take to engage with this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67720/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department has not been extensively engaged with by the group mentioned in the question to date.
The Department has established an NGO Forum to support engagement between the Department and non-governmental, civil society and advocacy organisations working across the migration, immigration and integration sector.
This forum meets several times annually, and is a way for the Department to share information and updates on the work of the Department, to hear from stakeholders and to engage in discussion and mutual learning.
Anti-Racism Measures
Ceisteanna (414)
Shane Moynihan
Ceist:414. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures his Department and An Garda Síochána are taking to address the prevalence of racist attacks; the supports available to victims of such assaults, including financial assistance for medical and dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67721/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government is determined to stamp out hate-motivated crime and protect vulnerable communities. Attacks on migrant communities - whether physical, verbal, or online - are utterly unacceptable.
The introduction of the Criminal Justice Hate Offences Act 2024 strengthens the law by ensuring perpetrators face tougher penalties where hatred is proven to be a motivating factor, or where hatred is demonstrated based on the identity of the victim. For example, assault aggravated by hatred, or damage to property aggravated by hatred, will attract higher prison sentences. Where hatred is not proven, a person can still be charged with assault or damage to property. This ensures protections for victims, regardless of their background, if they are targeted because of the identity characteristics, namely - race; colour; nationality; religion; national or ethnic origin; descent; disability; gender; sex characteristics and sexual orientation
Legislation is only part of the picture.
An Garda Síochána takes hate crime very seriously. Every hate crime reported to An Garda Síochána is professionally investigated, and victims are supported during the criminal justice process.
And I would encourage anyone that has experienced incidents to report these to An Garda Síochána. These will be treated with empathy, and An Garda Síochána continues in its efforts to strengthen its network of diversity officers to support victims and those affected by hate discrimination in communities around the country. There are 536 trained Garda Diversity Officers in place nationwide to provide reassurance, build trust, and address concerns. Gardaí are also actively engaged with advocacy groups to support minority and diverse communities.
I am committed to working with all partners to reduce crime, build safer communities for everyone, and this is reflected in the Garda Vote in Budget 2026 which saw unprecedented funding of over €2.59 billion for this year, a 33% increase since 2021 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.
My Department is also working to ensure organisations who help victims of crime are available to everyone who needs them and to a high standard, right across the country.
The Victims of Crime (VOC) Fund provides grant aid to a range of non-governmental organisations delivering services to victims of crime. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 has been allocated to promote and assist the development of support services to victims of crime. This funding enables the provision of services supporting victims at different stages of the criminal justice system. This includes the provision of emotional and practical support, information and advice on the rights of victims, court accompaniment services, specialised counselling services, helplines and accompaniment to Garda interviews for those who have experienced traumatic incidents.
Through initiatives such as ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’, and the ‘Zero Tolerance’ Strategy on DSGBV, my Department is committed to building a victim-centred criminal justice system. This includes a wide range of elements, from the work of Victims Liaison Officers across the justice sector to national awareness campaigns to highlight the rights of victims. My Department also supports the Victims Charter website which brings together all the information a victim of crime might need to know about their rights, and about what to expect from their engagement with the criminal justice system.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme continues to play an important and significant role in providing practical support by way of monetary compensation to victims of violent crime.
The Government is committed to reforming the Scheme, including placing it on a statutory footing as provided for in the Programme for Government, and work is currently being advanced in relation to this.
The Law Reform Commission (LRC) is examining the broader topic of victim compensation as part of its Fifth Programme of Law Reform.
Speaking more generally, Ireland’s[ National Action Plan Against Racism] (NAPAR) represents a national level, State-led, co-ordinated approach to eliminating racism in all its forms in Ireland. It is intended that the actions will have a significant positive impact on all minority ethnic communities and faith-based groups.
The Ireland Against Racism Fund enables non-government and community organisations to provide projects and local initiatives that combat racism and promote racial equality. To date, 57 projects have received funding amounting to €2.4 million under the scheme.
The Integration Fund supports organisations to carry out integration projects at a national, regional or local level. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, charities, faith-based groups, formal and informal schools and cultural organisations.
The Fund combines two previous funds – the International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF) and the Communities Integration Fund (CIF). Since their inception, both funds have provided close to €10m in funding to over 1,000 projects across the country.
Finally, the Programme for Government 2025 includes a commitment to develop a new Migration and Integration Strategy for Ireland, detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing our society and economy over the next decade. Work is well advanced on this project, with a view to the Strategy being launched next year.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (415)
Máire Devine
Ceist:415. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of electronic devices collected by An Garda Síochána for technical examination in the course of criminal prosecutions both from suspects and witnesses/complainants; the length of time between collection and when analysis was begun; and when the device was returned to its owner, from 1 January 2020 to 30 November 2025, by district, offence name, by year, in tabular form. [67728/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am advised that for operational reasons, An Garda Síochána are not in a position to provide figures for this request.
The Garda authorities have informed me that a disproportionate amount of Garda time and resources would be required to collate the data requested, relative to the information sought. The category of electronics covers phones, laptops, smartwatches and a wide range of other devices which are commonly collected in the course of criminal investigations, for a variety of reasons.
As a result, the data requested is too broad for Garda authorities to provide a response to the questions posed.
Prison Service
Ceisteanna (416, 417, 418, 419, 422, 423)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:416. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of recorded drone incursions at each prison in the State in the past five years, broken down by year and by institution, and the types of contraband recovered from those incidents. [67737/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:417. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total quantity and classification of contraband recovered following drone incursions into prisons since 2020, including drugs, weapons, mobile phones, SIM cards, and other prohibited items. [67738/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current security technology in place in each prison to detect, deter, or disable drone incursions; the date each system was installed; and the planned upgrades for 2026. [67739/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:419. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current staffing levels assigned to perimeter security in each prison; the standard operating procedures for responding to drone incursions; and the number of times these procedures were activated in the past three years. [67740/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:422. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the estimated financial impact on the prison system arising from drone-related contraband since 2020, including security responses, detection equipment, staff overtime, drug-treatment interventions, and property damage. [67743/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:423. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will publish the most recent internal risk assessment relating to drone incursions into prisons, including risk ratings, mitigation measures, and outstanding vulnerabilities identified. [67744/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 416, 417, 418, 419, 422 and 423 together.
It is proposed to take 67737/25, 67738/25, 67739/25,67740/25, 67743/25, and 67744/25 together.
I am advised by my officials that the Irish Prison Service addresses drone incursions across the prison estate by deploying all appropriate dynamic security measures responding to the nature and level of the threat in each instance.
In relation to the staffing and technology in place, the Irish Prison Service does not disclose detailed operational information that could compromise the integrity, security, or safety of any prison establishment. The controlled management of security-related information is a core component of maintaining a safe and secure custodial environment for staff, prisoners, and the wider community.
At this point in time it is not possible to collate the information sought regarding the financial impact, as work to reduce incursions of contraband to prison environments involves a range of collaborative actions involving multiple agencies. I can however, advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has invested €5 million to date in the nationwide installation of metallic mesh netting to prevent and reduce drone-enabled contraband drops.
The Irish Prison Service, together with An Garda Síochána, have completed several very successful collaborative operations in the past year delivering significant results, including multiple arrests and prosecutions linked to attempts to introduce drugs and other contraband into prisons by drone or throw-over. This intelligence-led, multi-agency co-operation is effectively disrupting and detecting attempted delivery of contraband into prisons and improving communication pathways regarding supply, availability, typology and impact of illicit substances in prisons.
In relation to the number of drone incursions at each prison, the Irish Prison Service Operational Support Group did not commence documenting a consistent central record of drone incidents until July 2024, when the prevalence of this type of incident increased. The figures provided in Table 1 below are of reports recorded from 1 January 2025 to 27 November 2025:
Table 1: Number of drone incidents recorded per prison in 2024 and 2025
|
Prison Location |
2025 (01 Jan – 27 Nov) |
2024 |
|
Wheatfield Prison |
199 |
84 |
|
Cloverhill Prison |
58 |
15 |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
46 |
35 |
|
Midlands Prison |
19 |
4 |
|
Portlaoise Prison |
13 |
1 |
|
Limerick Prison |
16 |
2 |
|
Castlerea Prison |
10 |
1 |
|
Cork Prison |
2 |
0 |
The types of contraband recovered from these incidents provide an insight into the importance of the close co-operative working between the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána to intercept these drone incursions. Items recovered include: various drugs, knives, blades, mobile phones, chargers and SIM cards.
Table 2 below sets out the record of items of contraband seized by the Irish Prison Service. Items recovered from drone incursions are not recorded separately to items recovered in other operations across the prison estate.
Table 2: Contraband seizures in Irish Prison Service 2016-2025
|
Year |
Phones |
Drugs |
Weapons |
|
2025 (To Oct 31st) |
1435 |
976 |
364 |
|
2024 |
1,236 |
1,035 |
260 |
|
2023 |
1,272 |
1,294 |
308 |
|
2022 |
1,439 |
1,390 |
312 |
|
2021 |
1,369 |
1,518 |
292 |
|
2020 |
1,148 |
1,251 |
294 |
|
2019 |
964 |
1,251 |
540 |
|
2018 |
962 |
1,138 |
664 |
|
2017 |
872 |
1,018 |
557 |
|
2016 |
648 |
715 |
435 |
Question No. 417 answered with Question No. 416.
Question No. 418 answered with Question No. 416.
Question No. 419 answered with Question No. 416.
Prison Service
Ceisteanna (420, 421, 424, 425)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:420. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of criminal investigations initiated as a result of drone-related contraband entering the prison system since 2020; the number of arrests; the number of charges; and the number of convictions secured. [67741/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:421. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has conducted any assessment of links between drone-delivered contraband and organised criminal groups; and if he will outline the findings of any such assessments. [67742/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:424. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has examined international counter-drone models used in the UK, Canada, or the Netherlands for prison protection; and if he will provide details of any pilot projects or procurement considerations underway. [67745/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraKen O'Flynn
Ceist:425. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether additional statutory powers are required by the Prison Service or An Garda Síochána to disable or intercept drones approaching prison facilities; and if he will outline any planned legislative proposals. [67746/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 420, 421, 424 and 425 together.
I am very aware that the flow of contraband is one of the most pressing issues affecting security and safety in our prisons. Preventing the access of contraband, including drugs, into prisons is a high priority for the Irish Prison Service, and it continues to examine technologies that might assist in making our prisons more secure, including anti-drone technologies. If suitable technologies are identified then the IPS will proceed with the procurement and installation of same.
The Irish Prison Service is working to enhance yard security in prisons and has invested €5 million to-date on the installation of metallic mesh netting to prevent and reduce drone-enabled contraband drops and this is proving effective.
Over the course of 2024 and to-date in 2025, enhanced netting has been installed at two prisons. To-date, there have been no successful contraband deliveries to the yards where a new netting solution has been employed.
The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which includes the investigation of allegations of criminal conduct. To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have made enquiries with my colleagues in An Garda Síochána who advise that, following a search of the Pulse database there is no standard operation ID, incident type or offence code available to reliably capture the data requested by the Deputy.
However, I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service together with An Garda Síochána have completed several very successful collaborative operations in the past year delivering significant results, including multiple arrests and prosecutions linked to attempts to introduce drugs and other contraband into prisons by drone or throw-over. This intelligence-led, multi-agency co-operation is effectively disrupting and detecting attempted delivery of contraband into prisons and improving communication pathways regarding supply, availability, typology and impact of illicit substances in prisons.
In May of this year, the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise a framework for interagency cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding was developed to enable the two organisations to work in partnership to prioritise cooperation in tackling organised crime, drug dealing and contraband smuggling.
I am further advised by An Garda Síochána that, while the methods currently employed in the use of drone technology and delivery of drugs into prisons is indicative of organised criminal gang (OCG) involvement, at this time there is no hard data suggesting any one particular gang is responsible for it.
Question No. 421 answered with Question No. 420.
Question No. 422 answered with Question No. 416.
Question No. 423 answered with Question No. 416.
Question No. 424 answered with Question No. 420.
Question No. 425 answered with Question No. 420.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (426)
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:426. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of reported burglaries and related offences to date in 2025 in Coolock, Raheny, Howth and Clontarf Garda stations, in tabular form. [67758/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics.
The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases in relation to various crime statistics. The most recent statistics were released on 24 September 2025, providing statistics for Recorded Crime for Quarter 2, 2025.
Recorded crime statistics are published by the CSO for Burglary and Related Offences at Garda Station level, including Coolock, Raheny, Howth and Clontarf, annually for the 2003 to 2024 period: www.data.cso.ie/table/CJA07
Alternatively, recorded crime statistics are published by the CSO for Burglary and Related Offences at Garda Division level (including DMR North) quarterly for the Q1 2003 to Q2 2025 period:
www.data.cso.ie/table/CJQ06.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (427)
Aidan Farrelly
Ceist:427. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of probationer Gardaí allocated to Kildare and Wicklow following the November 2025 passing out ceremony; if he will also provide the station at which they are deployed. [67763/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which includes the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel throughout the State.
To be of assistance, I can confirm that on 14 November 194 Gardaí attested from the Garda College. Of these, 13 were allocated to stations in Kildare and 3 were allocated to stations in Wicklow.
The total number of new attestations this year is 619. Of these, 30 probationer Gardaí have been assigned to Kildare and 11 to Wicklow in 2025.
In the interest of transparency, An Garda Síochána publishes information in relation to the allocation of Probationer Gardaí nationally, including a breakdown of Garda divisions and stations nationwide. This can be found at the following link:[www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resources-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strength-breakdown-2025/] .
Citizenship Applications
Ceisteanna (428)
Charles Ward
Ceist:428. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the status of a citizenship application of a person (details supplied) who has been waiting for a response for almost a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67859/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The naturalisation application referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department.
I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible.
It is important to note, however, that no two naturalisation applications are the same and some take longer than others to process. Given the importance of citizenship, robust and comprehensive checks must take place on each application. Unfortunately, some checks, such as international checks, can take a considerable amount of time and these are largely outside of the control of the Immigration Service.
For that reason, while, I expect that going forward, that most applicants will receive a decision within one year, this cannot be guaranteed in the case of applications made in any specific year.
Citizenship Division have taken a significant number of steps to improve up the process for applicants. These included introducing an online digital application, online payments, and the introduction of eVetting. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these changes are reducing processing times.
Applicants can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s Customer Service Portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: [www.portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/] .
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process.
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (429)
Johnny Mythen
Ceist:429. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the amount of full-time and part-time Garda stations in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67873/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which includes all operational policing matters and the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel, including opening hours of Garda Stations, throughout the State. The Commissioner is independent in the performance of his functions under Section 34 of the Act and, as Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the opening hours of individual Garda Stations is publicly available and can be found at the following link.
www.garda.ie/en/contact-us/station-directory/ .
The Deputy may wish to note that within County Wexford I understand that there are four Garda stations which operate 24/7.
In relation to Garda stations which are not open to the public on a 24/7 basis, telephone calls to a station during periods of closure are automatically routed to the nearest 24-hour station in the Community Engagement Area.
In cases of emergency, any person should call the 999 or 112 emergency service for an urgent Garda response.
Prison Service
Ceisteanna (430)
Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:430. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current metrics used on prison overcrowding for example, occupancy rate, number of prisoners sleeping on mattresses; and the immediate measures being taken to address any ongoing overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67889/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.
I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the total number of prisoners in custody on Monday 24 November 2025 was 5,774 compared with a bed capacity of 4,702. This represents an occupancy level of 123%. The number of prisoners sleeping on mattresses on this date was at 633 across all sites. Each day the statistics are published on the IPS website ([www.irishprisons.ie]). This information can be found in the Information Centre under Statistics & Information.
Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, on a daily basis, the Irish Prison Service manage overcrowding through the use of temporary release. Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made.
A record capital investment of €527 million is being provided to IPS over the next 5 years, of which €495 million will be invested in building projects to further increase capacity. The aim is to build 1,595 prison spaces by 2031 and includes a new prison on the site of the old Cork prison, a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, and additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill, Portlaoise, Limerick and Dóchas.
A range of actions to address capacity issues in our prisons was also agreed in June 2024 following on from the report of the Prison Overcrowding Response Group and work to implement these actions is ongoing. Among these actions was the introduction in 2024 of a pilot Structured Temporary Release Scheme for suitable candidates in Limerick Women’s Prison. Recognising the positive impact of the pilot so far, the eligibility criteria for the scheme is now being extended on a phased basis to include more women in the prison.
I am committed to progressing and implementing policies aimed at increasing the use of community sanctions, that reduce offending, divert people away from imprisonment, and provide effective rehabilitation.
Budget 2026 provides an 11% increase in funding for the Probation Service, allowing for the recruitment of 100 additional staff. This additional funding will be used to increase use of supervised community sanctions in the criminal courts, expand restorative justice services, and expand supervised temporary release schemes nationally. In April, I launched the Community Service - New Directions Implementation Plan 2025-2027. This plan sets out Probation Service commitments to drive the delivery and support the increased use of Community Service as a robust and meaningful alternative to imprisonment.
Another of these actions is to amend legislation to increase the maximum number of hours that can be imposed under a community service order from 240 to 480 hours. The amendment will also require a judge to consider a community service order if a sentence of up to two years is being considered, rather than the current one year requirement. These amendments have been included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 which I published on 6 May 2025.
The Programme for Government also commits to implement electronic tagging for appropriate categories of prisoner. Work is underway to operationalise electronic monitoring. Budget 2026 allocated funding of €2.1m for the project to allow for staffing, procurement, and other set up costs. It is intended to go to tender for an electronic monitoring provider this year.
Taken together, these actions demonstrate that this Government and I are committed to delivering one of the fastest-ever expansions of prison capacity in Ireland and increasing and enhancing community based alternatives to imprisonment.
International Protection
Ceisteanna (431, 432, 433)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:431. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:432. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:433. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.