State spent €30m on emergency accommodation for asylum seekers in 2019

The Government spent nearly € 30 million on emergency accommodation for asylum seekers in 2019, new information obtained by Fianna Fáil has revealed.

There were 6,013 asylum seekers being provided with accommodation by the Department of Justice as of the start of December in 40 accommodation centres nationwide, which are now at full operating capacity.

A further 1,559 persons are living in 37 hotels and guest houses which are being contracted in an emergency capacity. The amount spent on hotel and guest house beds in emergency locations up to the end of November 2019 was €27.14 million, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said in parliamentary correspondence to Fianna Fáil’s justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan.

“Every effort is being made to re-accommodate applicants in emergency locations to a dedicated accommodation centre as quickly as possible,” Mr Flanagan said.

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Fianna Fáil has accused the Government of “wasting a huge amount of money on emergency accommodation for asylum seekers when it would be much more economical if there was dedicated State accommodation available”.

Mr O’Callaghan said applications from asylum seekers would be “a common feature for the foreseeable future, and the Government needs to plan properly for this ongoing requirement”.

The Minister said the State has a legal obligation to offer accommodation, food and a range of other services, including utilities and healthcare, to any person who claims a right to international protection in Ireland while their legal claim is being examined. “These services are demand-led, and generally it is difficult to predict demand far in advance.”

Demand

He said in order to meet an increase in demand for accommodation the Department of Justice has initiated two processes to source additional accommodation.

The department has firstly sought expressions of interest from parties who would be interested in providing accommodation and related services to people in the international protection process. Premises assessed as suitable under this process may be offered a short-term contract, usually one year.

The second is through a regional tendering process to refurbish existing direct provision centres or other premises suitable for direct provision. The contracts for these will have a minimum duration of two years and a maximum contract duration of four years. The Government plans to house up to 5,500 asylum seekers through this process.

Three contracts have so far been awarded in the mid-west, the southeast and the midlands. In the midlands it had been estimated the contract would be worth € 11 million, but the final contract awarded was worth €27.6 million.

In the southeast it had been estimated the contract would be worth €28 million. However the one announced has a value of €36.9 million.

In the mid-west it had been estimated the contract would cost €15.7million but the amount awarded was less and came in at €12 million, according to tender documents.

Mr Flanagan said the exact locations of the centres have not yet been decided, but he wanted to ensure local communities were fully consulted.