Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 February 2023
242. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether consideration has been given to outsourcing the payment of refugee centres to an organisation at a location (details supplied) with a proven record of making payments on time on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9376/23]
View answerMy Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. In line with the Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, I temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The enlarged team approved more than 100 million euros worth of payments.
My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and the Department is according this issue very high priority.
I can advise the Deputy that my officials are considering a number of avenues of support in relation to outsourcing, and that the organisation in question (Dublin office) has already been engaged to provide services to my Department in respect of assisting the payments operation.
