Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 March 2026
347. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of people who have died in State care provided accommodation under his Department's remit, broken down by accommodation type and cause of death; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23143/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand from your question that you are requesting information on people who have died while resident in State supported accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine, people applying for international protection, and people detained prior to effecting a deportation order.
Any death of a resident in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation is a tragic event for their family, friends and neighbours, and also for the accommodation centre staff who know them.
The Department publishes information on deaths of people staying in IPAS centres on Gov.ie, with the most recent publication reporting on the period to January-December 2025.
www.gov.ie/en/international-protection-accommodation-services-ipas/publications/statistics-on-deaths-of-international-protection-accommodation-service-residents/
The data provided show that 23 IPAS residents died in 2025. 15 IPAS residents died in 2024, and this compares to 9 in 2023. It is relevant to note that from 2023 to 2024, the number of people resident in IPAS increased by more than 25%.
The statistical breakdown of deaths and information on cause of death is grouped to protect the identity of the people concerned and their families. Where the cause of death is not publicly available or has not been confirmed by the General Registration Office (GRO), it is noted as “Not Available”. My Department does not have any input into the process of reporting or recording of deaths by the GRO.
This publication is in line with my Department's policy on 'Recording & Reporting of Deaths of Residents in International Protection and Accommodation Centres’, a copy of which is published on Gov.ie, as follows: gov - IPAS policy on recording and reporting of deaths of residents
https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/policy-on-the-recording-reporting-of-deaths-of-residents-in-international-protection-a.pdf
A total of 103 deaths of people fleeing Ukraine who were residing in state-funded accommodation were notified to my Department since 2023 to date although there may have been other deaths of residents that were not reported to my Department during this period or prior to 2023. The cause of death of a resident is generally not reported to my Department and would not be recorded. When the Department is notified of a death of a resident, it in turn notifies the Ukraine Embassy.
The Department also advises the family of the deceased to engage with the Hospital Social Worker and the local Community Welfare Officer to access any Department of Social Protection support payments which they may be eligible for in the event of a death.
A breakdown of notified deaths by year is below:
|
Year |
Notifications of deaths |
|
2023 |
44 |
|
2024 |
31 |
|
2025 |
23 |
|
2026 |
5 |
I am also advised by the Irish Prison Service that there has been one death in custody of a person awaiting deportation between 2023 and 2025. That death occurred on 7 October 2024 in Cloverhill Remand Prison. The cause of death is a matter for the coroner.
