Refugees struggling to transition from IPAS accommodation and into mainstream housing

The ESRI report identified numerous barriers for those wishing to leave government-provided accommodation.

RECOGNISED REFUGEES ARE struggling to leave government-provided accommodation and progress into mainstream housing, an ESRI report has found.

Using figures from January 2024, the ESRI reported that almost 6,000 people who had international protection status and could move to independent housing were living in IPAS accommodation.

The ERSI reported that this is an approximate increase of 8% from 2020.

IPAS accommodation is provided by the government, and is intended for applicants of international protection rather than those who have been granted asylum.

Recognised refugees, or people who have been granted asylum, have been found to face “significant challenges accessing housing”, according to the ESRI. This is directly affecting the capacity of government-provided accommodation for asylum seekers.

The lack of social and affordable housing was the main barrier identified by the ESRI in refugees leaving IPAS accommodation.

Discrimination by landlords and psychological issues were mentioned in the report as further barriers.

Other barriers included the inadequacy of support services, such as Home Assistance Payments (HAP), overburdened housing services, and a lack of knowledge in local authorities about the rights and entitlements of refugees.

‘Double Challenge’

Co-author of the report, Keire Murphy, said that the findings showed that while targeted supports such as housing caseworkers could help to overcome specific barriers faced by refugees, other challenges made it difficult to improve housing outcomes.

She said that the research shows Ireland is facing a “double challenge”: “a broader, mainstream challenge in relation to housing in general, and a more specific challenge around developing capacity to manage inward migration.”

In May, an inspection of a direct provision centre in Co Laois found that 75% of the residents (30 out of 40) had been granted refugee or a similar protection status.

As of May 2024, the ESRI report stated, over 1,800 International Protection applicants were awaiting offers of government accommodation.