Written answer
International Protection
The Minister said 46 IPAS contracts have ended since 2025, but individual reasons are confidential and may include compliance failures or commercial terms; no breakdown for integrity- or criminal-association grounds was provided. Provider checks include CRO due diligence and notarised declarations, but are not verified with Gardaí; tax and planning compliance are also checked.
351. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of IPAS accommodation contracts terminated since 1 January 2025 on grounds relating to the integrity, conduct or criminal associations of the provider, as distinct from cost or capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75237/26]
Comment on this
352. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether checks on the directors, beneficial ownership and financial standing of IPAS accommodation providers are now carried out before contracts are awarded; whether those checks include engagement with An Garda Síochána or the Criminal Assets Bureau; the date from which they have applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75235/26]
Comment on this
I propose to take Questions Nos. 351 and 352 together.
Providing reception conditions, including accommodation and other basic supports, to international protection applicants is a requirement of Irish and EU law.
The International Protection Accommodation Service is currently accommodating nearly 32,000 residents in 294 international protection accommodation centres around the country.
Since assuming responsibility for this service in 2025, the Department has taken action across all aspects of the international protection accommodation system to improve value for money, strengthen governance and compliance, and renegotiate contracts with providers.
Offers of international protection accommodation received from external commercial providers are reviewed by the Department under a standardised appraisal procedure.
A dedicated team appraises each offer 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 may be part of wider commercial groups. The Department carries out its appraisals on the providers making the submission and does not appraise wider commercial entities which may be associated with providers.
Each new or renewing provider of accommodation services must provide a declaration of their personal circumstances. This declaration, which must be notarised, is not checked with An Garda Síochána but the provider must confirm 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.
All provider payments are published on a quarterly basis by the Department, and a provider's tax compliance is verified at each payment by way of a Tax Clearance Certificate.
Planning regulation and compliance is a matter between the relevant Local Authority and the property or provider. However, for IPAS accommodation centres, since 2025, all contracts that are being renewed, and any new contract entered into since that time, must be accompanied by the appropriate documentation from the Local Authority to verify their compliance with the relevant planning regulations.
The budget allocation for 2027 for this service is reduced by over €250 million compared to the 2026 allocation. Through increased inspections and application of a new rate-card to contracts, costs have been reduced on renewed and new contracts, and 46 contracts have terminated since 2025.
Details of individual contractual arrangements and processes are treated as confidential, but reasons for not renewing or ending a contract may include compliance concerns, including failure to meet contractual requirements, health and safety concerns, fire safety issues, planning issues, or other regulatory non-compliance, or non-agreement of commercial terms. Contracts may also be terminated at the request of the provider within the terms of the contract.
In line with the Programme for Government 2025 the State is working to develop more State-owned international protection accommodation and reduce reliance on commercially contracted accommodation.
The new International Protection Act 2026 gives effect to the measures of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact and has passed into law. The new rules came into effect on 12 June. Reforming and speeding up processing of applications should also serve over time to reduce the scale of the demand for international protection accommodation.