On the 27th March 2024 Government agreed a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (CAS) for International Protection applicants. The strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall, while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State will always be able to meet its international commitments.
Accommodation in the new strategy will be delivered through the following multi-strand approach:1. Use of State land for prefabricated and modular units2. Conversion of commercial buildings3. Targeted purchase of medium and larger turnkey properties4. Design and build of new Reception and Integration Centres5. Upgrading of IPAS Centres
The table below details the composition of accommodation from 2028 onwards
Accommodation Type
|
Bed Capacity
|
Ownership
|
Reception and Integration Centres and Accommodation Centres, at national standards
|
Up to 13,000
|
State Owned
|
In-Community Accommodation for vulnerable persons, at national standards.
|
Up to 1,000
|
State Owned, operated in partnership with NGOs.
|
Contingency Accommodation, at national standards
|
Up to 11,000
|
Commercial Providers
|
Emergency Accommodation
|
Up to 10,000
|
Commercial Providers
|
As detailed in the strategy, accommodation will be delivered through a blended approach of purchasing, turnkey deliverable and delivery on State owned sites. The breakdown of dedicated state owned Reception and Integration and Accommodation Centres will be dependent on the opportunities that arise from the multi-strand approach.
The department is in the early stages of planning its approach for the delivery of the increased state owned accommodation capacity. As part of the process an economic assessment is underway which will provide more detailed information on the full costings for the programme.