The number of people experiencing overcrowding at International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) rose by 19% during the past year, reports RTE.
In its most recent annual overview report, HIQA found that 44% of the inspected centres were overcrowded in 2025.
Currently, 30 accommodation centres fall under HIQA’s oversight, representing roughly 10% of all settings providing housing for people seeking asylum in Ireland, reports RTE.
HIQA formally took on the role of monitoring and inspecting these centres starting in January 2024, though this responsibility excludes emergency accommodation facilities.
The 2025 overview report highlighted that at one particular centre, 96 adults were housed in tented accommodation, which had a negative effect on their overall quality of life.
Significant health and safety issues, such as problems with fire safety, building structures, mould, and pests, were identified in 29% of the inspected accommodation centres, reports RTE.
Compared to the previous year, HIQA observed improvements and noted that these changes showed “the benefits and impact of independent monitoring and inspection”.
Systematic ‘inability to meet demand’ – HIQA
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In 2025, numerous service providers introduced modifications and advancements in key areas, which HIQA described as having “positively impacted” residents’ quality of life and living conditions, reports RTE.
The proportion of staff who had been vetted increased by 26% since 2024, reaching 91% now.
Safeguarding policies were present in 93% of centres, marking a 16% rise compared to 2024.
Risk management policies existed in 90% of centres, reflecting a substantial 47% increase from 2024, reports RTE.
Although there were overall gains in accommodation standards, as well as in governance and oversight, HIQA pointed out that “significant challenges continued across the wider sector”.
HIQA further indicated a systemic “inability to meet demand” for individuals arriving in Ireland and for those wishing to transition out of IPAS centres.
Bronagh Gibson, Head of programme with responsibility for monitoring and inspection of IPAS centres, emphasised that maintaining progress was essential, reports RTE.
“Urgent efforts are needed to ensure the system has the capacity to meet demand,” she said, reports RTE.
“While there is a national strategy to provide sufficient accommodation in the longer term, interim measures must be timely, effective and responsive to risks such as deteriorating buildings,” she added, reports RTE.
Ms Gibson noted that a large number of residents reported positive experiences.
“Almost 90% of adults said they were happy living in their centres, and importantly 97% of children and young people told us that they felt safe living there. Their voices provide valuable insights and help us to identify what works well and what could be improved,” she said, reports RTE.
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