THE NUMBER OF applications by people seeking asylum in Ireland has almost halved compared to last year.

This drop has eased pressure in the accommodation system, according to groups working the sector, resulting in less demand for beds and making it more likely for the government to not progress plans for accommodation centres in some instances.

This week has seen confirmation that some prominent locations will not be used for International Protection Accommodation Services (Ipas).

The former Crown Paints site in Coolock has been ruled out – almost a year after protests turned into violence amid opposition to the plans – and a smaller site in The Liberties was also rejected.

From January to April this year – as per data published by the International Protection Office – there has been a 43% drop in applications for Ireland’s asylum system here compared to the same timeframe for last year.

The total number of applications for international protection up to April for this year was 4,096 – a significant fall compared to the 7,187 applications for the same period last year.

A statement by the Department of Justice – which recently took over responsibility for Ireland’s asylum system – explained that among its considerations when deciding on the Coolock site was the “current level of need in the sector”. It said it also gives consideration to the location, access to services and welfare of residents.

John Lannon, chief executive of Limerick-based humanitarian organisation Doras, which works with refugees and asylum seekers, told The Journal that he believes the government has become “pragmatic” about centres in light of the reduced pressure.

“The numbers of people applying for international protection have gone down, which is obviously resulting in a bit less pressure on the system,” he said.

Lannon also pointed to a shift from Ukrainian to Ipas accommodation by some private sector providers as also freeing up space for asylum seekers, thereby lessening the need for new accommodation centres.

“And if and where they’re successful then that helps to ease up room,” Lannon said. “The consequence of that, of course, is that you get Ukrainians who have started to make a life for themselves in one part of the country, then they are uprooted and brought to a different part of the country.”

Lannon said that “huge efforts” had been made to try and get people who’ve received documentation out of the existing Ipas centres, which he said has not been as successful because of the lack of availability of housing.

A further issue that sometimes halts the development of some centres is where planning issues are identified early on in a development, leading to compliance issues or problems facing the accommodation provider over whether they can demonstrate that they can be compliant with planning regulations. This has lead to some failing to meet early hurdles according to figures working in the sector.

However, Lannon said he was concerned by the opposition that has remained to Ipas centres in communities and said that community engagement often isn’t enough when the same areas suffer from inadequate GP care and school places.

While this year’s numbers are lower, there have been plans to house the thousands who are still coming to Ireland in some existing larger centres, but some of those proposed sites – such as in Athlone – have been the subject of strong legal challenges.