Support Services

The Vulnerability Assessment Programme recommenced for families applying for International Protection on 11 November 2024.

In addition, Vulnerability Assessments will be offered to those who were queued for an assessment when the former programme was suspended in March 2024.

The Vulnerability Triage process will continue for single males who make an application for International Protection at the International Protection Office (IPO).

Cases related to facilities in accommodation centres should be directed to the centre manager on site in the first instance. This includes any cases related to

• Room allocations / configurations

• Food issues and dietary requirements

• Anything within the remint of the House Rules (including complaints).

If the matter has been raised with the centre manager previously and you wish to escalate it to IPAS, please raise a ticket by emailing ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie and include relevant name(s), TRC number(s), current centre and full details of the case.

For cases related to a transfer requests, please be advised that due to the unprecedented demands for accommodation transfers are currently suspended. IPAS can only consider requests that involve a medical priority, or otherwise exceptional cases at this time.

To submit a transfer request on medical or exceptional grounds, please refer to the IPAS Protocol for Medical Priority.

For cases related to a family re-unification request, please note the following:

Both parties seeking family re-unification must contact ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie separately in writing, requesting family reunification.

The request must include the names, TRN numbers, current accommodation centres and relationship type for all eligible persons requesting to be re-unified.

• Immediate family members who are currently International Protection applicants, including:

- Husband, wife or partner,

- Minor children with their parents or guardians and

- Adults with dependant minor siblings.

• Dependant family members where the dependency can be demonstrated e.g. parents of adults who are dependant for care or medical needs.

• Adult siblings where a sibling is dependant for care or medical needs and all parties have made applications for International Protection.

Please note:

• Persons who have received a decision on their IP application, i.e. have been declared a refugee, granted subsidiary protection status or permission to remain for humanitarian reasons are not eligible to be accommodated by IPAS.

• IPAS must be satisfied that both parties wish to reside together. One or both parties may be contacted by IPAS in order to confirm that this is the case.

• If eligible family members can be accommodated in the IPAS accommodation location that one or more of the family already reside in, IPAS will facilitate.

• The ability of IPAS to facilitate eligible family re-unification requests is subject to the availability of suitable IPAS accommodation.

Please note that there is currently an extended waiting period for approved transfers due to limited capacity within IPAS accommodation.

It should also be noted that IPAS family re-unification is distinctly different from the Department of Justice, Immigration Service Delivery, Family Reunification (FRU) application process. Further information on this process can be found at on the Department of Justice website here.

For cases related to a re-accommodation request, please contact ipasinbox@equality.gov.ieand include the name(s), TRC number(s), and full details of the request.

Please note that such cases refer only to persons who are requesting to be re-accommodated by IPAS, for example cases where the person(s) left their previously allocated accommodation or privately sourced accommodation.

Persons who have not previously received an offer of accommodation from IPAS due to the current accommodation shortages should refer to the next paragraph.

For cases related to a person whom IPAS has been unable to accommodate due to the current accommodation shortages, please note the following:

IPAS is currently experiencing an acute accommodation shortage for single males who apply for International Protection. As a result, we are regretfully unable to provide accommodation to all persons who make an application for International Protection at this time.

We are working to accommodate all persons as soon as possible. Contact details are taken when each person presents at the International Protection Office and they will be contacted as soon as accommodation becomes available.

Before leaving the IPO, persons we are unable to accommodate also have the opportunity to speak to an IPAS Assessment Officer, who can conduct a Vulnerability Triage.

If any health needs are identified through the Vulnerability Triage, persons will be given the option to meet with HSE staff to see if medical care or medicine is required.

This process is voluntary, and it helps IPAS and the HSE to provide relevant information and recommend priority cases for accommodation allocation.

If you have further queries in relation to unaccommodated persons, please contact ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie and include the name(s), TRC number(s) and full details of the case.

For cases relating to transfers during pregnancy, centre managers should be notified of the pregnancy by the applicant in the first instance in order to consider the suitability of the current accommodation.

Where an applicant is currently residing in family accommodation and has notified the centre manager of their pregnancy, the centre manager must endeavour to facilitate the family in their current location.

If the centre manager cannot facilitate the family (in terms of space required for a cot etc.), the centre manager must notify IPAS as soon as possible and include the name(s), TRC number(s) and details of the case.

Where an applicant is currently residing in accommodation for adult applicants only and has notified their centre manager of their pregnancy, the centre manager must notify IPAS as soon as possible and include the name(s), TRC number(s) of full details of the case.

If a transfer is required in order to access specific maternity services or care due to medical complications in pregnancy, the applicant or a person acting on behalf of the applicant (healthcare professional, medical social worker etc.) must submit a IPAS Protocol for Medical Priority transfer form to ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie

Where there is a change in personal circumstances of an applicant, for example due to serious illness, injury, or other factors impacting the suitability of a person’s current accommodation, please email ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie with the name(s), TRC number(s), full details of the case and any relevant supporting documentation.

Whilst it is important to note that the Resident Welfare Team do not assign accommodation, we may be able to provide assistance in certain cases where there is a specific accommodation requirement as the result of a demonstrated special reception or complex need.

Where a transfer is approved by IPAS, the applicant will be notified in writing. Please note that due to the current capacity constraints waiting periods for transfers remain affected.

For cases related to an applicant whose age is disputed, please note that IPAS has no role in determining the age of applicants, or whether a person is eligible for services under the Child Care Act.

The Department of Justice has the statutory function of determining whether an applicant for international protection is a child or an adult for the purpose of their application for international protection, and Tusla has responsibility for assessing if persons claiming to be an unaccompanied minor are eligible for services under the Child Care Act.

In all cases, IPAS are instructed by the decision issued by the IPO and/or Tusla. Persons deemed ineligible for services under the Child Care Act must be accommodated by IPAS on this basis.

Applicants are entitled to appeal their decision with Tusla, and can do so by contacting scsipreview@tusla.ie

Until such a time as a new decision is issued, persons deemed ineligible for services must continue to be accommodated by IPAS on this basis.

For cases related to accessing healthcare or support services, including mental health or disability services, please be advised that services for IPAs are mainstreamed and applicants access them through the same referral pathways as Irish citizens.

For health services, including referrals to disability and mental health services, this is through primary care, GP referral and emergency services.

Information on local supports are available within most IPAS accommodation centres through the centre notice board or by speaking with centre managers. IPAS have also compiled a booklet with information on a range of services nationwide that is available to access on the Item was unpublished or removed

Education is fully mainstreamed, and children have the same access to supports as Irish nationals. Cases related to school places or transport may be referred to ipasinbox@equality.gov.ie for the attention of the Tulsa Education Support Service (TESS). Staff are seconded to IPAS from the Tulsa Education Support Service (TESS) to assist with school places for children living in IPAS accommodation centres.

Please include the name(s), TRC number(s) (if applicable) and centre address, as well as details of the case.

Applicants living in IPAS accommodation centres are entitled to a weekly social welfare payment called the Daily Expenses Allowance. The weekly payment amount is €38.80 for each adult and €29.80 for each child.

Applications for the Daily Expenses Allowance payments must be made through Community Welfare Services in the Department of Social Protection. Information on how to access Community Welfare Services is available here.

Daily Expenses Allowance application forms (DEA1) may also be submitted by post to:

Sligo CWS Support Team, Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384.

Applicants who have an additional need for financial assistance may also apply for an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) through the local Community Welfare Officer. Additional Needs Payment applications are assessed on a case by case basis by the local Community Welfare Officers in the Department of Social Protection.

Any queries in relation to such payments should be directed to the Department of Social Protection.

The significant increase in numbers of arrivals and constraints on available accommodation across the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) portfolio placed extreme pressure on IPAS resources, including the Vulnerability Assessment Programme.

As a result, a decision was made in March 2024 to suspend the programme and to seek to procure an external contractor to manage it. Following the suspension, resources were redirected to support operations across the Resident Welfare Team and IPAS overall, including to conduct a Vulnerability Triage of newly arrived single male applicants and identify those with very high needs requiring priority for accommodation when available.

The Vulnerability Assessment Programme recommenced on 11 November 2024 for families applying for International Protection.

In addition, Vulnerability Assessments will be offered to those who were queued for an assessment when the former programme was suspended in March 2024

.

The Vulnerability Triage process will continue for single males who make an application for International Protection at the International Protection Office (IPO).

Throughout this period, support remains available for International Protection (IP) applicants in IPAS accommodation centres through a number of channels including the IPAS website at Support Services Information Booklet for International Protection Applicants.