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As mentioned above (see Criteria and restrictions to access reception conditions), it should be noted that the definition of “recipient” for the purposes of benefiting from entitlements under the Reception Conditions Regulations 2018 does not cover beneficiaries of international protection, or those on deportation orders.
The main source of accommodation is social (public) housing or private rental accommodation. Local authorities are the main providers of social housing but people need to be on housing lists, which can take a considerable amount of time.
According to the Minister of State, David Stanton ‘Once some form of status is granted, residents cease to be ordinarily entitled to the accommodation supports provided through RIA. Notwithstanding this fact, RIA have always continued to provide such persons with continued accommodation until they secure their own private accommodation. IPAS are particularly mindful of the reality of the housing situation in the State and the pressures on the Community Welfare Service in respect of Rent Supplement or the City and County Councils in respect of Housing Assistance Payments and Housing Lists. The Government is committed to ensuring that persons who are availing of State provided accommodation, including those who have come to Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, are supported in sourcing and securing private accommodation.’[1]
Over the past number of years, difficulties have persisted for beneficiaries on accessing housing once status is granted as there is currently a housing crisis in Ireland, which affects Irish citizens and international protection applicants alike. This means that beneficiaries have difficulty leaving Direct Provision and finding suitable housing. This is exacerbated by the accommodation crisis in Ireland, where waiting lists for social housing are long and rental costs exceed the amounts paid in rent supplements.[2] Discrimination and racism is also reported in the rental market.[3]
The situation for beneficiaries of international protection who are finding difficulty obtaining independent accommodation exacerbates the concurrent lack of capacity in Direct Provision centres.
Throughout 2024, many individuals with international protection status or humanitarian leave to remain who were residing in Direct Provision accommodation after receiving their status were served with notice to source their own accommodation or failing this, be transferred to alternative IPAS accommodation, usually to emergency or tented accommodation. The purpose of the policy was to release accommodation capacity for those in the international protection process who were awaiting determination on their application. However, transfers of this nature gave rise to significant issues for those affected. In the experience of the Irish Refugee Council, many people who received transfer notices left Direct Provision without arranging a sustainable tenancy. Many stayed with friends or family temporarily and given the precariousness of such arrangements, this often led to homelessness. Whereby individuals took up the transfers, progress in education and employment, as well as o other integration indicators, were lost when people were transferred. Many people were transferred several hours away from where they worked or had educational opportunities, or indeed where they have made local connections in the community, to an isolated, unknown area. This meant that they lost the social capital which could assist them when searching for somewhere to live.[4] The Irish Refugee Council wrote to IPAS and the Department of Housing to outline these concerns, however, at the time of updating, the policy continued to operate.[5] As of December 2023, there were 5,960 persons with status residing in Direct Provision centres around the country.[6] As of February 2025, there were approximately 5,400 persons with status residing in Direct Provision Centres around the country.[7]
In January 2023, persons living at particular Direct Provision Centres, whereby points or vouchers are issued to residents to cover the cost associated with purchasing groceries, were advised by IPAS that any resident who had obtained international protection status or permission to remain in Ireland and remained living in IPAS accommodation for a period of 8 weeks or more, would have their points or vouchers revoked. Residents were advised that this new policy would be rolled out on a phased basis and persons affected would be provided with 8 weeks’ notice prior to their points being removed.[8] This policy continues to operate as of February 2025.[9]
The Department of Justice has a specific team who work in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and the City and County Managers Association to collectively support residents with status or permission to remain to access housing options. By the end of 2019, a total of 732 people transitioned out of accommodation centres, of which 500 did with the assistance of the services and support mentioned above.[10] Figures for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 were not available at the time of updating.
In April 2019 the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government released a document titled: Social Housing and HAP Supports Available to Assist Households in Direct Provision Who Have Been Granted “Leave To Remain” And Are Eligible For Social Housing. The paper confirms that people leaving Direct Provision are entitled to ‘Homeless Housing Assistance Payment’ which gives additional supports such as access to a deposit, advance rent and a discretionary 20% addition to the existing HAP rent. The Department also released, in partnership with the City and County Managers Association and IPAS, a document titled ‘Information paper on supporting people with status/leave to remain’ which contained information on how people will receive assistance to leave Direct Provision.[11]
In the experience of the Irish Refugee Council, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions resulted in significant obstacles to securing housing for beneficiaries of international protection. Restrictions on the operation of local authorities and administrative bodies have resulted in delays in the processing of social housing applicants and entry on to housing lists. This in turn impedes individuals’ ability to access Housing Assistant Payment (HAP) and ultimately, secure housing. Caseworkers have noted, however, that the pandemic has positively impacted the availability of housing for beneficiaries of international protection in that a decrease in demand for rental property has opened up the market significantly for HAP tenants.
[1] Response to Parliamentary Question by Minister for State David Stanton, 26 January 2017, available: here.
[2] For further information, see Irish Research Council in partnership with the Irish Refugee Council, Transition from Direct Provision to life in the community, June 2016, available: here.
[3] The Journal, Ignored at viewings because they’re black or Asian: Dozens of asylum seekers facing homelessness, 24 February 2019, available: here; See also: Dublin Inquirer, Some ex-asylum seekers say they’re stuck In Direct Provision because Dublin landlords won’t accept them, 30 September 2020, available: here.
[4] Information provided by Irish Refugee Council Housing Officer, February 2024.
[5] Information provided by Irish Refugee Council Housing Officer, February 2024.
[6] Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Response to Parliamentary Question No. 705, 12th December 2023, available: here.
[7] Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Response to Parliamentary Question No. 287, 13 February 2024, available: here.
[8] Information provided by IPAS, January 2023.
[9] Information provided by Irish Refugee Council Information and Advocacy, February 2025.
[10] Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, David Stanton, Reply to Parliamentary Question No 278, 3 December 2019, available: here.
[11] These documents are not currently available online.