Latest news with #InternationalProtection
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Tipperary property will not become IPAS centre despite change of use application
A Section 5 planning exemption has been submitted to Tipperary County Council for a property on the Old Road in Cashel, with rumours spreading on social media that the property is to be used as accommodation for International Protection Applicants. Taking to his own social media page, Cashel councillor Liam Browne has moved to clarify that there are no plans to build or develop an IPAS centre at the Old Road property. "The application is seeking to change the use of an existing residential house, to a residential care facility. Nothing new will be built on the site, without a full planning application,' Cllr Browne outlined. The change of use application states that the applicants are applying for 'a declaration of exempted development … regarding the change of use from residential to provide a residential care facility for children at risk, including those with learning difficulties.' "The number of residents will not exceed six, and the number of carers will not exceed two,' the planning file states. 'The new owners of the building, are a company called Odyssey Social Care. They provide care to children with physical, mental and learning disabilities," Mr Browne added. "The current proposal is to provide such care at the property. The occupants would only be children, ie, under 18, and the maximum number of children would be 6, with 2 carers". Tipperary County Council have written to the applicants to ensure that only children with disabilities will be housed at the site, and not anyone else. Odyssey Social Care do provide care for unaccompanied minors within the International Protection system, but it is not thought that the Cashel site would be used for this purpose, Cllr Browne added.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Ministers accused of giving ‘half the picture' on refugees as more than 40% get positive decisions
More than 40 per cent of asylum seekers were granted International Protection or permission to remain in the last year, a higher proportion than suggested by Ministers in recent weeks. The Government has been accused by campaigners of presenting 'only half the picture' in public statements on refusal rates. An analysis of Department of Justice data highlights that almost twice as many applicants ultimately gained protection in their final outcomes compared to the figures that Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan and Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy chose. In February, Mr O'Callaghan said 'too many' people were applying for asylum who were 'not entitled' to it, citing an 80 per cent refusal figure that applies only to first decisions and not appeals. Mr Brophy has also cited the rate. READ MORE In the 13 months to April, 43 per cent of decisions on asylum applications resulted in the individual getting refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain, data published in the department's monthly International Protection Summary reports shows. Mr O'Callaghan said 80 per cent of asylum seekers' applications were 'refused in the first instance' in January. He said more than 65 per cent of the 14,000 applicants last year were rejected at the first instance. [ International protection overhaul an 'important step' in wider reform, Minister says Opens in new window ] However, when appeals decisions are included, the 2024 rejection rate falls to 58 per cent, according to department's reports. When a person applies for International Protection, a 'first instance' decision is reached as to their eligibility for refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain on humanitarian grounds. If their application is rejected, they have a right to appeal and may be granted permission to remain. Data from the department on first-instance decisions show that to the end of April, of the 7,269 asylum applications, 75 per cent were refused. However, when appeals results are included, the refusal rate falls to 62 per cent. Last year, of the 14,125 asylum applications processed, 9,207, or 65 per cent, were refused at first instance. The inclusion of appeal decisions brings the refusal rate down by 7 per cent. [ More than 15,000 international protection appeals could be lodged this year, Minister told Opens in new window ] In some months, more than half of decisions were to grant status – notably in August 2024, when the grant rate was 59 per cent, April 2024, when it was 53 per cent, and in May 2024, when 50 per cent of decisions were positive. Nick Henderson, Irish Refugee Council chief executive, said its analysis found 42 per cent of decisions since January 2024 were to grant International Protection or permission to remain. 'The final, overall recognition rate is considerably higher than the rate cited by the Government and some Opposition spokespersons. 'It is essential that data is presented accurately and not selectively... Referencing only first-instance recognition rates ... presents only half the picture. [ 'I was very upset about how Coolock came across': Locals believe handling of asylum-seeker centre plan a 'disaster' Opens in new window ] 'Second, selectively citing the lower rate risks creating a false impression that the vast majority of applicants do not need protection – when that is not the case.' A departmental spokesman said: 'The figures quoted by the Minister refer to first-instance decisions. 'Many cases in the system are currently being processed under an accelerated procedure and overall, there has been a significant increase in throughput in the International Protection system too. It is therefore likely that the final determination figures will eventually 'catch up' and, in time, align more proportionally with first-instance decisions.'
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Directors of IPAS centre management firm shared €4.68m last year
Two directors at one of the biggest operators in the International Protection (IP) applicant accommodation sector last year shared a €4.68m jackpot in pay and pension contributions. In the second half alone of last year, Igo Cafe Ltd trading as IGO Emergency Management Services received €29.9m (incl VAT) in State payments for accommodating IP applicants. The Dún Laoghaire-based company is co-owned by directors Ann Murphy and Cristina Andries on a 50/50 basis and in 2024, the two shared €4.68m in remuneration and pension contributions. The Government spent €1bn on accommodating IP applicants last year. The new accounts for Igo Cafe Ltd show that the two directors shared €3.779m in pay and an additional €910,000 in pension contributions. If evenly split, the €3.779m works at €1.889m each for 2024 which equates to average pay of €36,346 per week for each. The €3.77m in pay is almost three times the €1.3m the pair shared in pay in 2023. The accounts show that the company recorded post tax profits of €1.3m last year which was a 48.5% increase on the post tax profits of €882,126 in 2023. Numbers employed increased from 31 to 77 last year while accumulated profits at the end of December stood at €2.28m as cash funds totalled €1.24m. The cash funds of €1.24m compared to only €1,158 in cash in the company at the end of 2019. A spokeswoman for the Dept of Justice said today that IGO Emergency Management Services "are a facilities management provider at four International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation centres". She said: "The Department does not routinely provide details of IPAS Accommodation Centre locations or occupancy levels. "While detailed contractual arrangements for IPAS centres are confidential and commercially sensitive, the Department publishes quarterly reports on all payments to service providers over €20,000, which include IPAS accommodation contracts for this and other providers." She said that these reports are publicly available online. She said: "IGO Emergency Management Services are not a facilities management provider for Ukraine Temporary Protection scheme." Meanwhile, the Government spend on accommodating IP applicants came to €1bn last year, after €280m was spent in the final quarter. The €1bn spend was a 54% increase on the €651.75m paid out in 2023. Last year, the Government spent a total of €1.84bn on accommodation for IP applicants and Ukrainians. The outlay equates to a daily average spend of €5m across 2024.
The Journal
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Two directors at one of the biggest asylum seeker accommodation firms shared €4.68m last year
TWO DIRECTORS AT one of the biggest operators in the International Protection (IP) applicant accommodation sector last year shared €4.68m in pay and pension contributions. In the second half alone of last year Igo Cafe Ltd, trading as IGO Emergency Management Services, received €29.9m (incl VAT) in State payments for accommodating IP applicants. The Dun Laoghaire based company is co-owned by directors Ann Murphy and Cristina Andries on a 50/50 basis and in 2024, the two shared €4.68m in remuneration and pension contributions. The new accounts for Igo Cafe Ltd show that the two shared €3.779m in pay and an additional €910,000 in pension contributions. If evenly split, the €3.779m works at €1.889m each for 2024 which equates to average pay of €36,346 per week for each. The €3.77m in pay is almost three times the €1.3m the pair shared in pay in 2023. The accounts show that the company recorded post tax profits of €1.3m last year which was a 48.5% increase on the post tax profits of €882,126 in 2023. Numbers employed increased from 31 to 77 last year. Accumulated profits at the end of December stood at €2.28m as cash funds totalled €1.24m. Advertisement The cash funds of €1.24m compared to only €1,158 in cash in the company at the end of 2019. A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said today that IGO Emergency Management Services 'are a facilities management provider at four International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation centres'. She said: 'The Department does not routinely provide details of IPAS Accommodation Centre locations or occupancy levels.' 'While detailed contractual arrangements for IPAS centres are confidential and commercially sensitive, the Department publishes quarterly reports on all payments to service providers over €20,000, which include IPAS accommodation contracts for this and other providers She said that these reports are publicly available online. She said: 'IGO Emergency Management Services are not a facilities management provider for Ukraine Temporary Protection scheme.' Last year, the overall Government spent on accommodation for IP applicants and Ukrainians totalled €1.84 billion. The outlay equates to a daily average spend of €5m across 2024. The spend on accommodating IP applicants was €1 billion last year after paying out €280m in the final quarter. The €1 billion spend was a 54% increase on the €651.75m paid out in 2023.
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Refugees in Ireland: is the Government getting the balance right?
The unprecedented increase in the numbers of people coming to Ireland seeking International Protection due to war or oppression in their homeland put serious pressure on State resources since 2023. The new Government has signalled a tougher approach to the issue, and has claimed some success. Are their reforms working, and is the tougher messaging appropriate? Hugh is joined by Colm Brophy TD, Minister of State for Migration, Madeleine Allen, policy and advocacy officer with the Irish Refugee Council, and Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee.
