The Department of Justice has announced that 600 families granted permission to remain in Ireland will be relocated from IPAS accommodation centres across the country over the coming months, reports RTE.
NGOs working with those affected — a total of 2,042 people who have been issued notices to vacate — have appealed for the planned removals to be paused.
Concerns have been raised about families being uprooted from their communities and sent to emergency accommodation, in some cases hundreds of kilometres from where they currently live, reports RTE.
The Department stated that families who have held permission to stay in the country for over a year were initially informed of the planned relocation a year ago, with a follow-up letter sent in March.
It has confirmed that the first group will be moved tomorrow, with relocations continuing in stages throughout the summer, reports RTE.
This transfer plan originated under the former government, during which time the Department of Children managed housing for international protection applicants.
Over the last 18 months, more than 7,000 individuals with status have moved out of IPAS accommodation as the Department of Justice assumed oversight, reports RTE.
A Department spokesperson said that all individuals who received notice would be relocated, except in “very rare circumstances” such as medical cases.
RTÉ News followed the stories of two women, Suzanne and Mary, who received their notices to leave Direct Provision one year ago, to see where their paths have led.
Both were offered places in emergency accommodation, r r
Suzanne, whose youngest son has additional needs, felt he wouldn’t manage in such an environment. She relocated her family from their home in the west of Ireland to a friend’s house in Co Louth.
Living with her friend helped them share childcare responsibilities. Suzanne’s youngest is thriving in his new school, but her teenage children have found the transition difficult and long for their former home, r r
Relocating to Louth also brought instability. Suzanne moved between friends’ homes in Dublin seeking employment, while the children continued attending school in Louth.
She eventually secured work in a hospital and found a rental home under unclear terms — she has no lease and her landlord won’t accept HAP payments.
Although her income goes entirely toward rent and bills, she stands by her decision to avoid emergency accommodation to protect her youngest child’s wellbeing, reports RTE.
Mary took a different route.
She accepted a place in emergency accommodation as she had a newborn baby at the time and needed to act fast.
“There was no fridge, no kettle, no nothing. It was very difficult for me as a lactating mum. I had to fight to get them forcefully, because you can’t live like that,” she said, reports RTE.
A year later, she continues searching for a place to rent but has had no success.
“I go for viewings, I send emails, I send references, I have done everything that is required of me as a person or a mum and I’m equally working as well. I’m trying all I can but there’s no houses,” she added, r r
Reflecting on the newest batch of eviction letters delivered, she said: “This thing of them giving eviction notices and putting them in hotels, it does not make sense to me.”
There has been increasing criticism from various groups about the process of moving people out of Direct Provision, arguing that it is worsening the homelessness crisis, reports RTE.
Between May 2023 and May 2025, there was an increase of about 1,230 Non-EEA adults in emergency accommodation — a 68% rise.
The Department of Housing confirmed that the rise in the number of people granted international protection or other permission to stay has led to more households approaching local authorities after leaving Direct Provision, reports RTE.
Given that international protection applications in Ireland have fallen by 40% this year compared to last, questions are being asked about the Department of Justice’s continued enforcement of this policy.
The Department noted that while arrivals are down compared to 2024, “still on average 1,000 people applying for international protection every month”, all of whom must be provided with reception conditions, including housing, reports RTE.
“Of our nearly 33,000 residents, approximately 5,300 people have completed their application process and have received a positive decision. This means they have a legal status that allows them to remain in Ireland, and to work,” reports RTE.
“It also means that they are no longer entitled to IPAS accommodation. However, they are now able to access the full range of housing support available to all Irish residents. These housing supports are not available to people who are still going through the international protection application process,” it stated, reports RTE.
The Irish Refugee Council has said that some families being moved as soon as tomorrow and who have accepted transfers still don’t know where they are being sent.
In a statement, it said: “We are particularly concerned that families who do not accept a transfer will be pushed into already overstretched homeless services and are at high risk of rough sleeping during this transition,” reports RTE.
The Irish Refugee Council and Action Aid have long raised concerns about moving people away from the communities where they have established roots through work, education, and support systems.
In a statement, the IRC argued the growing number of homeless presentations by people exiting Direct Provision is directly due to government policy, not the fault of the individuals themselves, reports RTE.
At a recent Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Mary Hayes, Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, also raised red flags.
“We are concerned about institutional discharge from one institution into another. That does not seem to be well-thought through or a planned approach to homelessness. That is particularly so with IPAS which is driving about a quarter of the presentations of single homelessness,” she said, reports RTE.
Both the Departments of Justice and Housing have pointed to systems put in place by the previous government, which involved contracting NGOs to help people transition from IPAS to other housing.
However, according to those interviewed by RTÉ News, this isn’t working effectively. Most people say they’re simply being sent links to rental listings on Daft.ie, which they’re already checking on their own, reports RTE.
Like many others trying to rent in Ireland today, those with permission to remain are competing with thousands for the same few homes — and many report that having a non-Irish surname makes the search even harder.
The Department of Housing stated that if a household qualifies for social housing, they’re supported in applying for it and added to the local authority housing list, reports RTE.
Those eligible can also apply for Homeless HAP, which provides support to secure rentals in the private sector.
But Mary says that even with HAP, rental prices in the west of Ireland are simply too high, reports RTE.
“I’m working, I’m paying taxes, I’m driving my child over an hour to school, I’m doing what I can…it’s exhausting,” she says, reports RTE.
Despite these realities, the Department of Justice is not backing down.
“IPAS gives people significant notice, and is progressing this during summer months in order to allow families time to plan and to avoid moving children during the school year. The first moves will take place from 4 July and they will continue on a phased basis throughout the summer,” it said, reports RTE.
The responsibility for accommodating these individuals will likely shift to local authorities and homeless services around the country.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
