Claims of sexual abuse, physical violence and racial discrimination were among more than 335 complaints lodged by residents of IPAS centres about their accommodation last year.
According to complaint records, a roof collapsed in a bedroom at an IPAS centre in Wexford last July, while a separate centre in Dublin reported a lack of drinking water during the same month, reports Laois Nationalist.
One resident complained that video footage had been recorded inside a bedroom at a centre in Monaghan last September, while other complaints highlighted infestations of rats and cockroaches at facilities in Kildare and Donegal.
A complaint stated that a woman was assaulted at an IPAS centre in Limerick in September, while another resident in Dublin reported an incident of sexual abuse on November 5th, reports Laois Nationalist.
In another case, an IPAS resident in Dublin was allegedly assaulted by a member of the public last June, while a resident in Longford complained the following month about being asked for money by another resident.
In September, a complaint was made alleging discrimination by the management of an IPAS centre in Donegal, followed by a report the next month of racist behaviour by staff at a centre in Dublin, reports Laois Nationalist.
There were numerous complaints of assaults at centres nationwide, including 11 complaints specifically concerning the management of an IPAS centre in Sligo, as well as several issues raised about food quality and the removal of fridges from rooms.
Over a six-month period from June to November 2025, 29% of complaints came from residents in Dublin IPAS centres, with 17 reported in Donegal and nine in Galway, reports Laois Nationalist.
Of the 113 complaints received during that timeframe, 46 related to management and staff, 38 concerned living conditions and facilities, and 30 involved issues with other residents and safety.
The information was contained in records released by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration under the Freedom of Information Act, reports Laois Nationalist.
Under the IPAS complaints process, residents are required to first attempt to resolve issues with centre management before formally referring the matter to IPAS for investigation.
If residents remain dissatisfied with the outcome, they can escalate their complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman or the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, according to the department’s website, reports Laois Nationalist.
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