Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
219. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of allegations which have been made of threatening or violent behaviour against residents of IPAS centres in each of the past five years. [10609/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra220. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of convictions which have been achieved against persons involved in threatening violent behaviour in IPAS centres for each of the past five years; and if some residents against who allegations have been made have been moved on to other IPAS centres in these cases. [10610/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together.
The safety and wellbeing of all residents and staff in our accommodation centres is a priority for the Department and all International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) teams.
An IPAS accommodation centre is a person’s home while their application for international protection is assessed. On arrival at an accommodation centre, people seeking international protection are provided with the ‘IPAS House Rules’ which explains the rules and procedures that are designed to make reception and accommodation centres safe and effective.
Should there be a breach of house rules, Section 6 of European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 sets out measures that the Department may take when an individual “has committed, or is committing, a serious breach of the house rules of the place of accommodation”.
Usually there are a series of reminders about the house rules and or warnings. If breaches continue, it can be necessary to relocate people following repeated warnings.
Centre management in all IPAS centres all have an ongoing working relationship with the local Gardaí. If there is ever any concern in relation to acts of violence or other criminal activity in any IPAS setting, An Garda Síochána are contacted.
Data on the number of convictions achieved against persons involved in threatening violent behaviour in IPAS centres as requested is not collated by my Department, nor following enquiries is it available from the Courts Service.
Critical incidents that arise in centres are defined and set out in the policy provided below. These include a number of types of incidents, including cases of self-harm or violence towards staff or residents.
As requested, please see the following table updated to include statistics on critical incidents involving violence towards residents or staff, dating back to 2021:
When any incident occurs, IPAS teams and centre management and staff work to ensure that residents involved can be supported, and that staff are trained and ready to respond in the right way, seeking support from officials and other agencies as needed.
Staff and centre management are also equipped to support other people affected, including any family members or friends of the resident in the centre.
Guidelines are in place for IPAS staff and Department officials in relation to responding quickly to any incidents, taking action to ensure people are safe.
The IPAS Critical Incident Policy can be found at this link: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/09fe3ad4/3._IPAS_Critical_Incident_Policy.pdf.
