Ireland Allocates €1.88 Million Daily for International Protection Applicant Accommodation, New Figures Reveal
The state is allocating an average of €1.88 million per day to accommodate International Protection (IP) applicants in centres throughout Ireland this year, according to recent figures disclosed by Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman. The International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) has spent a total of €617 million on accommodation services up to November 24th, marking a substantial increase of 73% from the €356 million spent in 2022.
This surge in spending represents a boon for private accommodation providers across the country. The average daily expenditure of €1.88 million in 2023 surpasses the €975,342 daily average for the previous year. Minister O’Gorman outlined that the average cost for housing an IP applicant in IPAS accommodation for one year in 2022 was €18,568.
As of now, there are over 26,000 IP applicants in Ireland, compared to 19,202 at the end of the previous year. Additionally, 74,000 Ukrainians have sought accommodation from the state.
The financial gains for private operators in accommodating IP applicants and Ukrainians are evident in the accounts of companies such as Tirawley Ltd., which operates Breaffy House Resort, revealing a significant increase in pre-tax profits to €3.66 million. Another example is Pumkinspice Ltd., operating a Dublin hotel exclusively for IP applicants which recorded a pre-tax profit of €8.65 million last year.
Various hotels, including Holiday Inn Dublin Airport, TIFCO, and Guestford Ltd., have received substantial payments ranging from €14.26 million to €15.59 million for accommodating IP applicants in the first half of this year.
In a separate statement, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee provided information on IP application numbers, stating that 11,791 applications have been made in the first 11 months of this year, a significant increase from previous years. Despite the rise, she noted that IP applicants now typically receive a first-instance decision in less than three months, a considerable reduction from the 22 to 26 months reported early last year. Additionally, 736 deportation orders for IP applicants have been signed so far this year, compared to 539 in 2022.
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