*Photograph: John Mangan
MILTOWN MALBAY’s Central Hostel is set to house 42 male international protection applicants.
The Clare Echo has learned that the facility is to come into use for housing international protection applicants in the very near future, an exact date for which has not been specified.
Located in the centre of Miltown Malbay, The Central Hostel had previously been a temporary direct provision centre from May 2019 to August 2020 when it was shut down by the Department of Justice.
42 single males will be housed across 17 rooms at the Central Hostel, the rooms are of varying sizes. A twelve month contract is to be offered to the accommodation provider and this may be extended. Officials in the Department of Integration are unable to say how long the facility will be in use. Each resident will have their own lockable bedroom.
With the building constructed prior to the adoption of the 1990 Building Control Act it is considered exempt to the provisions of the Act. Additional fire documentation has been provided from a fire engineer by the owners.
Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. There have been over 100 accommodation locations utilised in 2022 across 17 counties. Clare County Council will be made aware of the use of the facility. The provider has confirmed that they have not made any links with local NGOs at this point but will work with all parties to support the integration of residents successfully.
Owned by Tralptop Limited, they acquired the property in April 2023. It is the first time this provider has been in a deal with IPAS to offer accommodation. The Centre Management team in IPAS have developed and rolled out (as a pilot initially) a training programme for all centre managers to take part in and this will be offered to the provider. Four to five staff members are to be on-site 24 hours a day with a briefing note advising that “most of the staff have worked at the premises for many years” when it operated as a bar and restaurant.
Since purchasing the premises, Tralptop Ltd have dismantled the entire bar area including decommissioning and removal offsite of all alcohol and dispensing equipment. They have reduced the accommodation capacity to 42 persons. All roofing leaks have been repaired while the requirements of the Fire Officer have been complied with. Three fire doors have been installed and all rooms have been repainted.
Additional works include the upgrading of all window blinds, decluttering the entire basement, relaying floor coverings, installing new WiFi and fire alarm systems and removing all excess cooking equipment.
Residents will be provided with a full board service, 3 meals a day prepared on – site, with the supply of snacks and refreshments available from 11a.m. – 9 p.m. Toiletries are to be replenished weekly. Fire alarms, fire-fighting equipment and security cameras are fitted throughout the common walking areas.
Applicants are eligible to work six months from their arrival in Ireland, most of the residents will be new arrivals. IP applicants access health services through mainstream services: primary care, GP and emergency services. Any IP applicant residing in IPAS accommodation is entitled to a medical card.
An integration fund is to be made available to assist in linkages to the local community in Miltown Malbay. Residents can avail of English language classes through the ETB. An adult resident receives an allowance of €38.80 per week. Residents also get three meals per day. Other assistance from the Department of Social Protection, such as bus fares to attend appointments, is available at the discretion of the local community welfare officer.
International protection applicant (IPAs) are not entitled to apply for or avail of social housing or the Housing Assistance Payment while their claim for asylum is being determined by the International Protection Office (IPO). If an international protection applicant (IPA) has somewhere else to live in Ireland such as with a friend, spouse or family member they may do so. If an IPA does not have somewhere to live and need to be accommodated by the Irish State for the duration of their application for asylum with the International Protection Office (IPO) they will be accommodated in an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre.
Initially, an IPA will be accommodated in an IPAS accommodation centre for the purposes of orientation, information provision, voluntary health screening, needs assessment and assistance with the first stages of asylum applications, before being sent to a longer term centre depending on individual circumstances and centre capacity. They will receive three meals per day in the centre or, where there is independent living facilities in place that allows people to cook for themselves, they will receive food vouchers to purchase their own food in local supermarkets.
As of 4th April 2023, 71,602 persons fleeing the invasion of Ukraine have arrived in Ireland since the start of the war, they are known as Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). 62,774 people are being provided with accommodation by the State, through the Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team. The most recent seven day average of daily BOTP arrivals is 82.
20,304 is the number of International Protection (IP) applicants who are being accommodated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and of this 2,675 have arrived in Ireland in 2023. 15,014 IP applicants arrived in Ireland last year.
