Almost 300 asylum seekers left without accommodation due to ‘severe shortage’ of beds

A “severe shortage” in accommodation has meant 298 asylum seekers are still awaiting an offer of accommodation from the Department of Integration, according to the latest figures issued on Friday.

Despite “intensive efforts to source emergency accommodation”, the department was currently not in a position to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants (IPAs) due to the shortage.

All male IPAs who present to the International Protection Office (IPO) during this period were being assessed by the department’s International Protection Accommodation Service and HSE staff for significant vulnerabilities and health issues, and “prioritised for accommodation as necessary”, the department said in a statement.

IPAs who were not provided with accommodation will receive a temporary increase of €75 to their daily expense allowance, the department said. This will increase the allowance from the current rate of €38.80 per week to €113.80 a week for all eligible applicants.

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The numbers of IPAs who were not offered accommodation and have been offered a contingency payment until accommodation is available currently stands at 298.

[ More than 200 asylum seekers left without accommodation ]

The total number of eligible male applicants who presented since December 4th is 398, of whom 45 were offered accommodation after a vulnerability triage, and 353 received contingency payment in leu of accommodation. Since then, 55 have been offered accommodation, while 298 await an offer.

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