Written Answers Nos. 218-237
218. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on Ireland's position on the European Commission's recently published proposals for a new EU Cyber Security Act. [10528/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe revised Cybersecurity Act, known as the Cybersecurity Act 2 (CSA2), was published on 20 January 2026. The aim of the proposal is fourfold:
A full reform of the mandate of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), emphasising its key role in providing effective support for policy implementation and added value in terms of supporting operational cooperation among Member States.
A reformed European cybersecurity certification framework (ECCF), with the aim of delivering a more effective and efficient tool that both promotes trust among businesses, the general public and public authorities and eases compliance with relevant Union legislation.
The creation of a harmonised framework to tackle non-technical risks affecting ICT supply chains, reducing the current fragmentation of approaches across Member States.
Targeted amendments to the NIS2 Directive with the aim of simplifying compliance with and ensuring streamlined and coherent implementation of specific aspects of the cyber security framework, including with regard to scope, definitions, ransomware reporting and supervision of entities providing cross-border services.
My Department’s initial view is to welcome the CSA2, although the text will require more detailed scrutiny. At a high level, the proposal contains a number of positive developments for Ireland. ENISA provides support for policy implementation and supports operational cooperation among Member States. As a smaller Member State, Ireland will benefit from the CSA2’s particular emphasis on these functions as the core parts of ENISA’s mandate. The reform of the ECCF will better enable the harmonisation of the recognition of the level of cyber security of ICT solutions across the Union, allowing Irish vendors and service providers to reach more customers throughout the EU. A reformed ECCF will also make it a more effective and efficient tool for the development of cyber security certification schemes that promote trust among businesses, the general public and public authorities.
A harmonised approach to the security of the ICT supply chains can address the current fragmentation of the internal market caused by different approaches at national level, avoid critical dependencies and de-risk ICT supply chains from high-risk suppliers, in this way securing critical infrastructure. The 5G Toolbox is the framework by which Ireland secures its next-generation electronic communications networks. This was a voluntary framework developed by the EU to address high-risk suppliers. However, the implementation of these frameworks by Member States has not been uniform across the EU. The measures in the CSA2 are intended to create a joint EU approach to the security of the ICT supply across Member States. Ireland gave effect to 5G toolbox via Part 3 of the Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Act 2023, for which responsibility lies with my Department.
Finally, the CSA2 builds on the work of the Digital Omnibus package for simplification. The CSA2 proposes targeted intervention through amendments to the NIS2 Directive to simplify specific aspects of the cyber security framework, including scope adaptations, maximum harmonisation for implementing acts, compliance proof through certification, and adoption of the set of guidelines to enhance legal certainty and harmonised implementation.
Ireland is expected to achieve the general approach on the file by the end of its Presidency of the EU Council in December. My Department will be leading on supporting this work and the Irish team with responsibility for chairing the negotiations during the Irish Presidency.
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.
221. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have sought asylum in the State which have subsequently moved North or to Britain for each of the past five years. [10611/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra222. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who came into the State seeking asylum from the North of Ireland for each of the past five years. [10612/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together.
Ireland and the United Kingdom share a long history and common interest in the effective operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA). Maintaining the integrity of the CTA and preventing its abuse in the context of immigration is an issue that I and my officials prioritise in our engagements with my UK counterparts.
My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times.
There is extensive engagement and cooperation at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office counterparts. This includes joint operational cooperation, as well as information sharing, between the Gardaí, UK Border Force, UK policing services and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom and will continue. The protection of an open border on the island of Ireland was and remains a key priority to the communities on both sides of the border.
As there are no routine border checks on the island of Ireland, it is not possible to provide definitive figures on the lines sought by the Deputy. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department’s assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that in a significant proportion of cases, those applying for the first time in the International Protection Office have entered over the land border.
223. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons on expired visas who have sought asylum in the State for the past five years, by visa category. [10613/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a central priority for myself and Minister O'Callaghan that our international protection and immigration systems are robust and enforced.
Data on the number of people that applied for international protection in each of the past five years after their visa expired is not available. While this information is recorded as part of an individual application for protection, this data is not managed in a format that would make it readily accessible.
224. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of visas which have been issued in each of the past ten years, by categories. [10614/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that my Department currently operates seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. These are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated authority from my Department.
Visa and preclearance applications provide legal avenues for people moving to Ireland for employment, study and family reasons and also to facilitate visitors who wish to travel for business and/or tourism. It is important to recall these applications are screening processes, designed to establish that the person has a legitimate reason to come to Ireland prior to travel. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system.
Any visa required national who wishes to enter the State and remain for up to 90 days must have a Type C short-stay visa, wile those intending to reside for longer than 90 days must have a Type D long-stay visa.
In 2025, approximately 206,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 2% compared to 2024, with over 3,900 additional applications received. This follows a 21% increase in applications in 2024 compared to 2023. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 8,700 additional visa decisions have issued in 2025, compared to 2024.
The table below details the breakdown of first instance approved visa applications by year from 01 January 2016 to 31 December 2025.
225. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have failed the asylum process at each step for each of the past five years. [10616/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust, and rules based, and that our borders are protected.
The number of International Protection applications have been rising over the past number of years, reaching 18,500 in 2024. In 2025, application numbers reduced by approximately a third.
There has been a significantly increased investment into the international protection system to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as enhancing the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants.
In 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 20,200 first decisions compared to approximately 14,100 in 2024, a 44% increase. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) more than doubled the number of appeals closed from 3,100 in 2024 to nearly 6,300 in 2025.
My Department continues to focus on preparing for the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in advance of June 2026. The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU including standardised processing times for decisions: six months for a standard procedure, three months for accelerated and border procedures and two months for processing applicants who have applied for protection elsewhere in Europe.
The new International Protection Bill 2026 will give effect to the measures of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. Enactment of the Bill and commencement of the Act is required by 12 June 2026.
The table below provides a yearly breakdown of IP applications made from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
|
Year of Application |
Total |
|
2021 |
2,647 |
|
2022 |
13,643 |
|
2023 |
13,271 |
|
2024 |
18,553 |
|
2025 |
13,160 |
|
2026* |
1,381 |
*To 8 February.
The table below shows all international protection first instance decisions made from 2021 to 8 February 2026 broken down by those granted either Refugee Status (RS), Subsidiary Protection (SP) or Permission to Remain (PTR) and those refused. Please note that there is not a direct correlation between the year an application was made and the year the decision issued.
All applicants refused international protection have a right to appeal to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) who must then consider if the earlier International Protection Office (IPO) determinations on refugee status and subsidiary protection should be affirmed or set aside.
The table below details International Protection appeal decisions from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
The table below shows applications to IPAT that were either withdrawn or deemed withdrawn from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
|
Year |
Withdrawn/Deemed Withdrawn |
|
2021 |
148 |
|
2022 |
266 |
|
2023 |
113 |
|
2024 |
211 |
|
2025 |
511 |
|
2026* |
35 |
*To 8 February.
Please note, all figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
226. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have received deportation orders for each of the past five years. [10617/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra227. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have had their deportation order enforced by the State for each of the past five years. [10618/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra228. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have received a deportation order who have left voluntarily; and the proof which exists of this. [10619/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 227 and 228 together.
It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.
Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued and I have increased resources into this programme to enable individuals who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.
People leaving under the voluntary return programme are required to provide my officials with documentary evidence that they have left within three days of their arrival in their home country. This can include evidence of flight tickets, boarding passes, the bio-data page of their passports and the re-entry stamp in their passport with the passport number clearly shown.
People availing of the voluntary return programme are also be met by officials from the Border Management Unit of my Department, or by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), to ensure that their return journey is facilitated through Dublin Airport and that their departure is confirmed.
Further information and evidence will be requested if the supporting documentation submitted is not sufficient to confirm that the person has left the State. People who do not submit the required documentation within the timeframes are advised that their cases will be reverted for further processing which may result in a deportation order issuing if it is not confirmed that they have left the State.
If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed, and my Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals.
The number of deportation orders signed in 2024 (2,403) increased by 180% compared to 2023 (857). In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed, an increase of 96% compared to 2024.
In 2024, 1,122 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.). In 2025, 2,111 people had their departure confirmed through these pathways, an increase of 88% compared to 2024.
In 2025, six charter flight operations removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations to non-EU destinations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality.
As Ireland does not operate routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to confirm in all instances that a person has departed the State. A person is only recorded as being deported when their deportation has been enforced by An Garda Síochána or when officials have been provided with evidence that they have left Ireland.
While over 300 of the people subject to deportation orders above have confirmed they have left the State independently since 2020, it is the case that a significantly larger number of individuals who were subject to Deportation Orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities.
I am informed that the Garda National Immigration Bureau has reviewed a large sample of cases of people subject to deportation orders; their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.
The tables below detail the number of deportation orders signed and effected from 2021 to 2025.
229. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of foreign nationals with criminal convictions who have been removed from Ireland in each of the past five years, by nationality. [10620/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe removal of people who are involved in criminality and those who are a danger to society is a priority for me as Minister and my Department works closely with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service to ensure high risk persons are prioritised for removal from Ireland.
Under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, which transposes the Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC) into Irish law, orders can be made for both the removal and exclusion of citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland who represent a danger to public policy or public security. These orders can be made on the grounds of that the individual’s personal conduct represents a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society.
These orders, and their legal basis, are distinct from deportation orders which are legal orders to leave the State and apply in respect of non-EEA nationals only.
Under Section 3 of the Immigration 1999, as amended, a Deportation Order may be issued on a number of grounds, including:
• under Section 3(2)(a,) a person who has served or is serving a term of imprisonment imposed on him or her by a court in the State,
• under Section 3(2)(b), a person whose deportation has been recommended by a court in the State before which such person was indicted for or charged with any crime or offence,
• under Section 3(2)(i), a person whose deportation would, in the opinion of the Minister, be conducive to the common good.
The table below details the total number of people removed from the State due to criminality from 2021 to 2025.
|
- |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Deportations |
5 |
13 |
15 |
23 |
76 |
|
EU Removals |
42 |
37 |
21 |
18 |
56 |
|
Total |
47 |
50 |
36 |
41 |
132 |
A breakdown by nationality is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.
230. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of foreign nationals who have criminal convictions in Ireland. [10621/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraManagement of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and the Constitution.
The collation of data on convictions is a function of the courts.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
I understand however that the Courts Service does not hold any information on the nationality of persons before the Courts as it is not a relevant factor in court proceedings. For this reason, the nationality of the accused is not supplied to the Courts by the Prosecutors.
Furthermore, the Central Statistics Office is responsible for compiling and publishing recorded crime statistics. I understand it is not their practice to compile statistics on nationality or ethnicity.
Further information is available at:
231. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of asylum seekers arriving in Ireland who have applied for asylum in other EU countries or in Britain previously, for each of the past five years; the number of non-EU nationals which have come here and applied for asylum in another country previously for each of the past five years; the countries in which they first apply for asylum in each year; and the number of persons who have been returned under the Dublin Agreement to these countries of first application for each of the past five years. [10633/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected.
All applicants who enter the international protection process are fingerprinted and photographed. These fingerprints are checked against Eurodac, an EU database which stores the fingerprints of asylum applicants and those who have been found to cross borders illegally.
An applicant who has a live international protection application in a Member State or has residency status is assessed under the Dublin III Regulation, with a view to determining which Member State is responsible for determining the protection application.
Information about the previous country of application for asylum is not stored in a manner which allows detailed data to be extracted along the lines sought by the Deputy.
A “marked Eurodac hit” indicates that a person has been granted international protection status in an EU member state. The table below shows the number of “marked Eurodac hit” cases for international protection applicants from 2021 up to date.
|
Eurodac hits |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026* |
Total |
|
Total |
31 |
212 |
242 |
319 |
361 |
49 |
1214 |
*To cob 30 January 2026
Please note that the figure for 2021 reflects the impact of COVID.
A decision to transfer made under the Dublin III Regulations expires after six months. This extends to 18 months if the applicant has absconded. If an appeal is launched, a Dublin III decision expires six months from the date the appeal decision is given.
In practice, and in keeping with the experience of other Member States, effective implementation of the Dublin Regulation is challenging. Member States have found significant problems with the Dublin Regulation, including the lack of consistent implementation across the Member States and that shortcomings with the design of the Regulation makes it difficult to achieve its main objectives.
In advance of a transfer, it is necessary to inform the receiving State of the transfer and make the arrangements to transfer the person in the specific notification periods for each EU Member State. The notification periods range from 3 working days to the majority of EU Member States requiring at least 7 working days. Earlier this year I increased the permissible detention period to facilitate a transfer under the Regulations from 7 to 42 days, with the intention being to give the Garda National Immigration Bureau more capacity to make the required arrangements in advance of the transfer being effected.
Ireland has opted in to the EU Asylum and Migration Pact which is due to enter operation in June 2026. The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU.
One of the major benefits for Ireland of the Pact is that it replaces the Dublin III Regulation with a more efficient and streamlined process.
The Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR) which will replace the Dublin III Regulation, provides for, among other things, streamlined criteria and reduced timeframes for determining the Member State responsible for determining an asylum application as well as revised rules on transferring responsibility and addressing evasion.
This will significantly improve the current system by reducing the administrative burden on the Member States seeking to transfer a person to the Member State. It will also extend the period by which a transfer must be carried out from 18 months to 3 years.
The table below shows the number of Dublin III transfer decisions issued and effected for international protection applicants from 2021 to 6 February 2026.
|
Year |
Dublin III Transfer Decisions issued |
Dublin III Transfer Decisions effected |
|
2021 |
69 |
4 |
|
2022 |
24 |
2 |
|
2023 |
188 |
3 |
|
2024 |
339 |
8 |
|
2025 |
417 |
2 |
|
2026* |
78 |
0 |
*to 06 February 2026
Please note that all figures are correct at time of issue and may be subject to data cleansing.
Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU, the UK no longer participates in the Eurodac database.
232. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the International Investor Programme; the actions which have been taken to support projects that have been part funded but not completed under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10650/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra233. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures in place to support the completion of a project at Carnew Road, Gorey on behalf of a group (details supplied) that was funded through the International Investor Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10651/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together.
The Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) is fundamentally a programme for investors, not for projects or funds. The investor is the primary applicant and makes an application for an immigration permission and nominates a proposed project as part of that application. The Department has no role in relation to the administration of such investments and does not hold any funds at any stage. This is a private matter between a potential investor(s) and a potential project concerned.
It is ultimately a matter for the project owner / sponsor to ensure delivery on an approved project within the timeframe set out in its business plan.
The Government agreed to close the IIP to further applications from 15 February 2023. The closing of the programme did not affect already approved applicants and projects under the IIP. The Department continues to monitor all projects going forward for delivery and compliance with IIP requirements.
Further details concerning the processing of outstanding IIP applications is published on the Immigration Service website of my Department, including an FAQ document. Both can be accessed at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/processing-of-iip-applications-on-hand-following-the-closure-of-the-programme/
As Minister, I do not comment on individual Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) applications. If a project owner has any queries, they can contact the IIP Unit of my Department directly.
234. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of protests which took place outside Leinster House which required additional Garda resources and physical barriers to be erected in each of the past five years; and the costs associated with policing the protests and erecting the barriers on each of those occasions, in tabular form. [10684/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested the information sought from the Garda authorities, regrettably this was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.
235. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Gardaí who were assaulted while on active duty in each of the past ten years. [10685/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe are immensely grateful to all our Gardaí for their outstanding dedication and commitment to serving the public and for the important role that they play in our society.
For the most part, the relationship between Gardaí and the public they serve is one built on trust and respect. We only have to look to the fact that An Garda Síochána is a largely unarmed, and yet hugely effective, community policing service.
An assault on a member of An Garda Síochána, a prison officer, a member of the fire brigade, ambulance personnel, or a member of the Defence Forces is already an offence under section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.
My predecessor increased the maximum penalty for such an offence from 7 years to 12 years.
Figures on the number of Gardaí assaulted on-duty between 2014 and 2024 remains the same as provided to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question No. 1940 of 29 July 2025.
The Deputy may be interested to know that use of force statistics are published on the Garda website. These include instances where a member of An Garda Síochána has been injured in a Use of Force incident. These reports cover the years 2020 up until September 2025 and are updated on a periodic basis. They can be found at the following link:
[www.garda.ie/en/information-centre/statistics/use-of-force-statistics-2025.html]
236. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to rectify delays in post mortems for coroner inquests in the south-east; if he has engaged with the Minister for Health or the HSE regarding short staffing in pathology at UHW which is causing this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10722/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI appreciate the very valid concerns raised by the Deputy and others regarding the post-mortem service at University Hospital Waterford. This service is of vital importance to the people of the region, and in particular to bereaved families at a difficult time in their lives.
For context I would note that coroners are independent office holders, and my Department has no role in directing their work during their investigation of any death. Neither does my Department have any role in relation to the work of pathologists who, as clinicians, undertake postmortem examinations on the direction of a coroner.
Policy and operational responsibilities for the provision of postmortem examination services to support the work of the Coroner Service are supported by several departments and agencies. My Department is responsible for the legislation underpinning the work of coroners, while the provision of the postmortem examination service is largely provided through the health service and its personnel. Pathologists, other than forensic pathologists in the Office of the State Pathologist, are not contracted to either my Department, or to coroners.
Where a postmortem examination is deemed to be required, the coroner will arrange for it to be conducted as expeditiously as possible in order to ensure the timely release of remains to the next of kin of the deceased. Securing the provision of the postmortem examination service for the coronial death investigation function is challenging and I have been engaging with the Minister for Health to address this. There are issues arising within the pathology profession generally, including relating to training and recruitment, as well as competing demands on pathologists in areas of diagnostic and research work. I acknowledge those concerns.
With this in mind, in 2022, my Department established a ‘Standing Committee on the Provision of Coroner Directed Postmortem Examination Services', membership of which is drawn from my Department, other relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the Office of the State Pathologist, the Coroners Society of Ireland, and the Faculty of Pathology, Royal College of Physicians Ireland.
My Department has introduced a short-term solution where locum pathologists are providing a coronial postmortem examination service on a three-day per week rota since 1 January in UHW. This approach is necessary to minimise any impact on bereaved family members who would otherwise experience lengthy wait times for the release of remains which are the subject of coroners’ inquiries. However, the use of locum pathologists to conduct coroner directed postmortem examinations is not a long-term solution to these issues and a more sustainable solution is required from within the health sector.
237. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons which have been accommodated in designated accommodation centres since the introduction of the 30-day accommodation policy on 10 November 2025. [10753/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra240. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department is tracking the accommodation pathways of beneficiaries of temporary protection leaving designated accommodation centres; and if so, the number of persons who have entered alternative accommodation in Ireland. [10756/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra242. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the capacity of the State’s designated accommodation centres; and the current occupancy rate. [10758/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 237, 240 and 242 together.
I propose to take PQs 237 , 240 and 242 together.
From 10 November 2025, beneficiaries of temporary protection who seek State-supported accommodation are now offered accommodation for a maximum of 30 days and are provided with food, services and integration supports in six specific Designated Accommodation Centres (DACs), which currently have the capacity to accommodate approximately 1,800 persons. Previously the persons resident at these centres were officered accommodation for a maximum of 90 days.
In the period from 10 November 2025 to 6 February 2026, a total of 886 individuals were accommodated in these time-bound DACs (in addition to those already resident prior to 10 November). There are currently 150 persons resident in these centres, down from 1,791 at end October 2025.
The Deputy will be aware that it was necessary to increase the capacity within these centres after an increase in new arrivals from Ukraine towards the end of the Summer of 2025. Now that the rate of arrival has significantly reduced, officials in the Department are in the process of winding down contracts for a number of these 30-day DACs. While the existing trends are downward, these numbers have fluctuated previously so maintaining some reserve capacity in DACs is considered prudent. This will be kept under ongoing review.
There is no requirement for individuals leaving DACs to provide details of their onward destinations. However, from the data available, it appears that 60% of people that have departed a DAC have found accommodation through a private arrangement and 26% have availed of a government scheme such as Offer a Home. The remainder have travelled from Ireland or chosen not to report on their arrangements.
