Written Answers Nos. 473-492
473. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to the servicing and repair of privately owned firearms being undertaken by Garda armourer personnel attached to the Garda firearms stores section in 2018, where such firearms were belonging to a hunt and pony club based in the Kildare area and where the cost of such servicing and repair was defrayed by public funds. [71009/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
474. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the proposed timeline for the passage of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill 2022; and for an update on its progress. [71022/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government 2025 commits to enacting the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill to enable ratification of the UN Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Torture (OPCAT).
The General Scheme of the Places of Detention Bill was approved by Government in June 2022 and it is currently being drafted by the Department with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
475. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of firearms/gun licences issued by the State for each year 2015 to 2024, and to date in 2025, broken down by new licences and renewals. [71035/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile my Department is the competent authority for the import and export of firearms, An Garda Síochána has a range of functions with regard to the operation of firearms legislation, including the issuing of firearms certificates and authorisations and is the competent authority for the licensing of firearms within the State.
The Firearms (Firearm Certificates for Non-Residents) Act 2000 gives the authority for granting licences to Superintendents of An Garda Síochána. Superintendents, when considering firearms licence applications, are considered 'persona designata' and cannot have their decision-making process fettered in any way. Neither I, as Minister of State, nor my Department, have any role in the issuing or otherwise of firearms certificates.
An Garda Síochána have provided the attached table outlining figures for the number of firearms applications approved for the period 2020-2025 to date. I am advised by An Garda Síochána that its Analysis Service does not distinguish between new applications and renewals in reporting.
The following is a count of firearms applications approved each year 2015 to 2024 and 2025 (to 7 December 2025).
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Number of Firearms Applications approved |
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Application Status |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
*2025 |
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Certificate Printed |
44,007 |
126,728 |
34,910 |
43,240 |
125,774 |
36,113 |
46,926 |
119,419 |
38,778 |
49,562 |
110,028 |
* to 7th Dec 2025
476. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the status of a change of circumstances application (details supplied) submitted in September 2024. [71097/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 20 October 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: https://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:
https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
Information on arrangements for people awaiting a renewal who are travelling over the Christmas period can be found at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/isd-announces-initiative-to-facilitate-customers-travelling-at-christmas-2/
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.
477. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the publication of an updated code of practice for CCTV systems operated by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71106/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 provides for a new regime for the authorisation and operation of CCTV schemes. Part 5 of that Act, when commenced, will introduce these new arrangements.
Specifically, there is a requirement under that Act for the Garda Commissioner to develop a Code of Practice for CCTV which will set out the procedures to be followed, and I am advised that this work is ongoing.
Officials within my Department are in close contact with An Garda Síochána with a view to progressing codes and any other issues which need to be finalised for commencement to take place.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagra479. 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]
Amharc ar fhreagra480. 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]
Amharc ar fhreagra481. 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]
Amharc ar fhreagra482. 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]
Amharc ar fhreagraI 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.
483. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to set out the governance framework applied to all national and EU-funded migration and integration schemes; the audit standards in force for each scheme; and the dates on which the most recent audits were completed and submitted to his Department. [71131/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra484. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the outcome indicators, performance metrics and evaluation methods used to assess projects funded under the National Integration Fund, Communities Integration Fund, International Protection Integration Fund and all AMIF-funded actions; and to confirm whether these indicators were met in each year since 2017 to date 2025. [71132/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra485. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department maintains a central register showing all organisations that receive funding from more than one national or EU-funded integration scheme; if not, to state why no such register exists; and if he will now establish one to ensure oversight and prevent duplication. [71133/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra486. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a value-for-money review has been carried out on the National Integration Fund, Communities Integration Fund, International Protection Integration Fund, AMIF-funded actions and ESF+ Integration and Employment measures; and to provide the findings, recommendations and implementation status of any such review. [71134/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra487. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department intends to publish an annual consolidated report on all migration and integration funding streams, including total expenditure, list of funded organisations, outcomes achieved, audit results and year-on-year comparisons; and if not, to explain the policy basis for this decision. [71135/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra488. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to detail the compliance checks required before releasing funds under each scheme; the financial reporting obligations placed on grantees; the percentage of grantees that submitted complete and timely accounts in each year since 2017; and the number of cases where payments were reduced, suspended or recovered. [71136/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra489. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide the evaluation reports submitted to the European Commission for all AMIF and ESF+ integration actions; and to confirm whether any recommendations on financial controls, performance measurement or risk management were issued by the Commission to Ireland. [71137/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra490. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to specify how multi-year grants under migration and integration schemes are monitored over time; the checkpoints used; the criteria for continuation or termination; and the number of projects that were discontinued or amended due to performance concerns since 2017. [71138/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra491. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has completed an assessment on the potential consolidation of overlapping migration and integration funding schemes; and to outline the policy analysis undertaken on cost savings, administrative efficiency and improved oversight. [71139/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra492. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the strengthened spending controls that will be applied to future rounds of the National Integration Fund, Communities Integration Fund, International Protection Integration Fund and EU-backed measures; and to provide the timeline for implementing these controls. [71140/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491 and 492 together.
The Department operates a number of EU and national funding schemes related to migration and integration.
The Department is the Managing Authority of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and beneficiary of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Integration and Employment of Migrants Action (IEM).
The Department maintains records of all funds administered under its remit, award recipients and all relevant information relating to the process, as outlined below.
All EU and national funding applications are assessed and scored in adherence with assessment criteria which are set out within the published guidelines for applicants. Awards of funds are publicly announced each year, or in accordance with the funding cycle, and details of recipients, projects and amounts awarded are included in publication.
Value for money is one of the criteria under which all funding applications are assessed, where the benefits of the project are appraised against the costs. Expected project outcomes are described in each application for funding and are assessed on their merits.
EU funds are bound by strict regulations that set the oversight framework. An annual performance report must be returned to EU Commission each year for the AMIF national programme.
Grantees of EU funding by the Department are required to submit quarterly operations plans, financial returns/statements, and project performance report during the lifetime of the project.
Desk-based verifications are carried out in respect of all financial and operational reports submitted to the Department. A sample of projects is selected each year for on-the-spot verification. The purpose of the on-the-spot verifications is to ensure that the delivery of the project complies with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement.
EU and nationally funded projects are required to submit final project reports upon completion along with supporting documentation. The final reports are reviewed to assess the performance of the project, whether it met the stated outcomes, and whether the funds were spent as outlined in the original funding application.
Any funding that has been deemed misspent, or underspent, is then recouped by the Department. All funding is subject to internal and external audits. Audits can be conducted by the Internal Audit Division, and the Comptroller and Auditor General.
An annual audit of AMIF expenditure and control systems was completed internally in December 2024. The Community Integration Fund, which has now become part of the Integration Fund, was also audited internally in 2022/2023. Audits of EU funding can also be conducted by Ireland's ESF+ Audit Authority, the European Anti-Fraud Office and the European Court of Auditors.
Further information in relation to EU funds and a list of funded operations is available online here:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/publications/amif-and-esf-funding/#amif-2021-2027-programme
